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Information is no longer difficult to access, yet much of our education system still operates as though it is.

In 1985, memorization served a practical purpose. Without Google, smartphones, or AI, knowing information meant you didn't have to make a trip to the library or dig through an encyclopedia. But in 2026, when information is available almost instantly, why are we still requiring students to memorize facts they can easily look up?

In this episode of Because the Curriculum Says So…, I explore the changing purpose of memorization, the importance of foundational skills, and why schools continue to restrict technology instead of teaching students how to use it responsibly.

We look at the difference between memorization and awareness, the ongoing calculator debate, and the importance of teaching students how to find, evaluate, and use information.

I also share a personal experience from my years as a corporate trainer that demonstrates why teachers don't always need to have the answers. Sometimes, one of the most valuable things we can teach students is how to find those answers for themselves.

Technology isn't going away. Keeping it out of the classroom doesn't prepare students to use it effectively when they leave.

The question for this episode:

Why do we continue to require memorization of particular information when we can no longer explain its educational purpose?

Because the Curriculum Says So… explores what we teach, why we teach it, and whether the answer still makes sense in an age of instant information, technology, and AI.

https://laurabungarz.ca

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Information used to be hard to find. Now it is cheap, immediate, and everywhere.

In this episode of Because the Curriculum Says So, Laura looks at how Google, smartphones, and AI have changed the value of memorization in education. If students can retrieve information instantly, what knowledge still deserves classroom time? What do they genuinely need to function as adults, think critically, and understand the world around them?

From calculators in our pockets to curriculum built around “you might need this someday,” this episode asks a bigger question: if information is no longer scarce, what is education actually for?