Consider the following: Do students need to know the proper way to construct a sentence and know different parts of speech? Does a student need to know the process a bill has to undergo to become a law? How about photosynthesis or the double helix formation of DNA? This is not necessarily a new question. For example, calculators have been around a long time. Do students need to know the quadratic formula or should we teach the student how to use technology to solve the problem instead of memorizing a process to derive an answer.
At what point does one say a person needs to know this or this is something they can use technology to find the answer for thus making it more important for the student to know how to use the technology? Before answering read the links provided concerning the use of calculators.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080819160203.htm
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/back-to-schooldo-the-math-counting-too-much-on-calculators-355917/