I reckon that despite using a computer full-time since I was seven years
old in 1987 for all education and leisure writing that it took me until my
early teens in 1993 to really be able to brain to computer more
effectively than brain to handwriting. It is definitely a different
thought process and it is more than just the physical motor skill of
typing it's a fluency thing. I'm now more fluent in typing and can barely
handwrite a shopping list.
I try not to forget that students often don't have the depth and breadth
of typing experience that I had by the time I started university. I
handwrote exams during Alevels because I wanted to fit in and typing
chem/bio/physics is hard - but had to go back to the keyboard because I
was failing due to my poor handwriting.
Also using a PC is another layer of potential things to go wrong. The
worry about "what if it crashes" or "what version of word is it going to
be?" "what irritating default settings will it have?" etc etc.
I used to use some of my extra time to set up the PC how I liked it - beat
Word into shape as I wasn't a regular MS Word user at the time. I'm techie
so I was known for turning up extra early to exams to wire in my own
keyboard or take ball-mice to pieces to clean them out so they worked
properly. I've also had computers crash on me and invigilators get into a
complete panic which could have upset me but fortunately didn't.
It would be interesting to find out why students don't want to type and
see what specific issues they have and whether there is training needs
there that we could support them in getting.
Natalya
Lindsey said:
> I chose to handwrite my answers because quite simply that's the way my
> brain worked. I could handwrite better constructed and more detailed
> answers then I could have done via dictation or typing. I felt most
> comfortable with handwriting and I can understand why some students would
> prefer to handwrite rather than use technology.
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