Smartboards might be all the rage at tech companies and regular whiteboards might be standard at most schools, but at some universities, educators still prefer to go the old-fashioned route with blackboards and chalk.
One such holdout is the math department at Stanford University, where according to Professor Christine Taylor, her colleagues enjoy using chalk for a very important reason – it's easier to get rid of an error.
"Mathematicians prefer chalk, it's easy when I make a mistake it's easy to rub it out," Taylor said.
Taylor likes a specific kind of Japanese chalk made by a Korean company. She told KCBS Radio that one of her colleagues gave it to her, knowing it was her preferred method of teaching. Her students have warmed up to it as well. When she asks them, "'Do you want me to teach you on iPad or chalk?' They say, 'chalk,'" she said.
Her favorite Japanese chalk is smoother than regular chalk, and doesn't feel rough and dry on her hands, she said.
Sadly, the company that made it went practically bankrupt, so one of her colleagues purchased a huge supply and hoards it to this day.
"We tried to get the university or the math department to provide us chalk.
They said it's too expensive," said Taylor. Therefore, she has to be a bit stingy with her dwindling stock. "I take it away with me at the end of every class."
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