Hand Writing Vs Typing: Should we follow Finlands example?

Much has been talked about in the last month and a half on the decision of Finland, the leading country in education, to remove cursive writing in schools from 2016 onwards. Teachers and education experts of all levels have debated the implications of this decision and the possibility of replicating a similar model in other countries now seems very real.

So what do we here at ExamTime think? Our position remains the same as it has since our inception and that is to stand behind the modernization of education. Nobody can deny that hand writing helps to fine tune motor skills and brain functionality. But the reality is that the world, in which we now live, requires education to be at a level that will prepare students for the labor market in which they are ultimately going to end up in.

If we think about it, it makes sense to focus our efforts on mastering a practice that we are going to use on a daily basis going forward. Typing has become a requirement while hand-writing is becoming an outdated process. “At best, it is becoming a practice that is romantic,” says Enrique Dans, Professor and blogger. Among others, the benefits of typing include:

• Content is written faster
• It promotes productivity
• It promotes mental alertness
• The fingers are exercised
• You can be writing while reading

 

Some critics have asked, what happens then with class notes? Class notes are still one of a handful of hand writing tasks which are still widespread today. Our solution? Digital Notes. With ExamTime’s Digital Notes, you will have the same freedom that you get with a simple sheet of paper but with many added benefits. These include:

• The ability to organize your notes easily
• Access them at any time
• Share them with your friends
• The ability to including images, videos, links,
• External references and ExamTime resources

 

Is this what you expected? Check out our online notes to see how they work. To be able to take this big step, the only essential element is the availability of computers in the classroom. Fortunately a lot of progress is being made in this area and the ratio between students and computers is improving each year as digital learning becomes more important. Therefore, as soon as institutions can ensure that students have access to computers, the next step should be the replacement or alignment of typing with hand writing.

Once more, this move has put Finland at the forefront of educational reform. They have raised the bar and paved the path for other countries to follow. However, this is only the beginning. Educators and institutions still have a long way to. With that in mind, ExamTime has these 3 wishes for 2015, that:

1. Other countries will follow the Finnish model and replace/align hand writing with typing
2. Programming starts to be incorporated as a compulsory subject in all educational levels
3. Teachers and students incorporate online tools to develop a better learning environment

Join us in 2015! Sign up now to use ExamTime’s digital notes and transform your learning potential.