The 'Baldrick generation' who learned their history from sitcoms think Thatcher was Prime Minister during WWI and England and Germany were on the same side
One in ten people think Hitler led Germany during the First World War
Nearly one in 12 young adults thinks Britain and Germany were allies
Report published on eve of tomorrow's 99th anniversary of WWI starting.
A growing number of people are ignorant about the First World War and know little more about it than what ‘Baldrick’ said in the TV comedy Blackadder, a new report claims.
One in ten think Hitler was the leader of Germany when the war started and nearly one in 12 young adults thinks Britain and Germany were allies, not enemies.
A similar number think Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister at the time, according to the report published on the eve of tomorrow’s 99th anniversary of the start of the Great War.
Are we happy with this....no! In the world of education the book is no longer seen as a resource. Lets show the kids the video clip and let them decide from there. Kids no longer have the ability (or just plain can't be bothered) to go and research, find things out for themselves. Click the button get the information true or false it doesn't matter. Why bother reading the book when for most kids who have never read a book, just show the DVD which contains historical inaccuracies and character amalgamations as it will get them through.
I work in a school which almost wants to ban the book, get them out of the classroom. The day that kids can sit around in groups and discover how to factorise quadratics by themselves would be a halcyon day for education indeed but one that we will never see.
E-learning is everywhere. Bring the technology into the classroom and embrace it the way that kids do out of the classroom. Trouble is, kids embrace technology but not for learning. Once, Facebook, twitter, Skype and other social media have been banned from the classroom what do they use their iPads and blackberrys for?
Technology is used in the classroom to communicate with each other (normally in other classrooms) because attempts at education are only stopping many of them from socialising.....the way they will be able to do freely once they have left school without the qualifications that they think that they don't need.

As adults we are a generation that cannot be bothered to cook as the ready meal can be put straight not the oven.

We cannot be bothered to sew or darn clothing as the superstores have made replacements so cheap.

We do not repair furniture as ikea means that it's cheaper to buy than to make.

Progress!

How Thatcher would have been disappointed about these kids if they fought for her in the First World War!

Bobby Birss Rant