TheTheThe MessengerMessengerMessenger New Richmond High School, 1131 Bethel-New Richmond Road, New Richmond, Ohio 45157 Volume LXIX Issue 8 May 2014 Technology takes over the education system Students voice their opinions on handwriting vs. typing By : Claire Burns Advancements in technology am a very poor speller. Spell she is a visual learner when she dents were then on their own to are bringing new ways of learn- check is also very convenient, writes papers. I prefer to origi- write the essays. The third es- ing in the classroom. A major bringing your mistakes to your nally write my papers so I am say was in class and they didn't change in the education system attention.” able to carry them with me and get the prompt ahead of time. is replacing physical paper docu- Sophomore Kelly Benton work anywhere, but I usually The grades were much better on ments with documents created feels that typing makes her pa- type my final drafts. I feel that I the third essay.” and completed electronically. pers look more organized and get more accomplished when I Freshman Cortney Smith also Due to this innovation, students professional. “I prefer typing write because I constantly make feels that she is more focused find themselves typing more of- because I write small and most changes to my work and like to when she hand-writes assign- ten than physically handwriting. people have trouble reading my be able to see my improve- ments rather than typing them. Some students are coping with handwriting; with typing, it is ments.” “Handwriting is a hands on task this change better than others; readable, larger, and cleaner. I Sophomore Connor Pike gets and is much more efficient than however, there are several stu- am also a faster typer as I feel more accomplished when he typing.” dents who find that they get more that my words flow better when handwrites his papers for school. Freshman Maggie Smith accomplished by completing I type.” “I prefer handwriting papers for thinks that it’s easier sticking their assignments the good old Freshman Brittney Bash pre- school because I tend to write with the simple way of things. “I fashioned way. fers typing her assignments as faster, stay more organized, and prefer writing because not only The majority of students pre- well. “I think typing is easier to my sentences usually make more can I write faster than I can type, fer typing over handwriting for find your mistakes and fix them. sense when I handwrite as op- but I also don’t have to worry several reasons. They find the However, I feel like I get more posed to typing. I feel that I get about having problems with a internet very helpful, especially accomplished when I write be- more accomplished when hand- computer and I only need a piece for research. With technology cause I can just keep writing in- writing a paper because I am of paper and a pencil to write.” today, it is very simple to send stead of having to worry about more focused and on topic with Freshman Isabelle Oiler feels assignments to teachers so stu- going back; fixing all of your my writing and I usually catch that her thoughts flow better dents can easily stay organized errors before you continue writ- more of my mistakes when hand- when she is handwriting rather and not have to go through the ing. “ writing.” than typing. “I prefer handwrit- hassle of misplacing their assign- Sophomore Melissa Moore is New Richmond High School's ing papers for school because it ments. more concentrated when she English teacher, Susan Griffin is easier, quicker, and more effi- Sophomore Kendal Collier types her papers, getting more believes that students tend to stay cient. I feel that i get more ac- feels like she gets more accom- accomplished. “I like to type, as more on task when they hand- complished writing because I am plished when she types her pa- long as I can think in a quiet write their assignments. “ I be- a faster writer and I think better pers. “Most of the time ,my place. I can type and get my as- lieve they are more successful when using paper and pencil.” handwriting is not really neat. signment quickly finished. I also writers when they are given a Freshman Laura Wilson Also, after a while, when people don’t have to stop to erase a mis- specific amount of class time and doesn’t like relying on comput- write for a long time their hand take when I am typing, I only then kept in their seats to write. ers when completing her assign- starts hurting, causing their hand- need to press a button, and I am I've experimented with this topic ments. “I like to handwrite my writing to be even worse.” back to typing my paper.” this semester and my research rough drafts because it is easier Freshman Anna Hamilton backs me up on this. I had my to edit. I don’t have to wait for a chooses typing over handwriting Many students, on the other sophomores do three short es- computer to load and stop because it is easier to make hand, believe that it is easier to says for Macbeth. The first two glitching.” changes once the document is lay out their papers if they hand were typed or handwritten with Freshman Joshua Clancy be- entered on the computer. “I can write them rather than type them. the prompt given about 3-4 days lieves that the best thing to do type faster than I can write and I Freshman, Kaeley Fagan said before the essay was due. Stu- when writing, especially a rough draft of a paper is to simply do it of order or spelling errors. Al- tests rather than electronic as- The old fashioned way of hand- by hand. “With writing, you can though both on paper and online sessments. “I think that will take writing is being replaced with easily make notes, edits, and have their pros and cons, I pre- some research to compare elec- typing documents. Some stu- even visuals if they help.” fer the good old fashioned hand- tronic vs. handwritten testing. I dents prefer this change as they Griffin also believes that stu- written tests.” do think that there are several feel that they get more accom- dents are able to concentrate bet- Sophomore Amanda Redmon huge flaws in electronic testing, plished when they type papers ter when handwriting papers prefers taking tests on paper. such as technological issues, the rather than handwriting. How- without the distractions in the When I take a test online it is lack of physical interaction with ever, several students feel that computer lab. “They seem to be harder to gather my thoughts and text so that students can't anno- online assignments are filled off task much more in the com- I become more stressed and feel tate a reading selection, and the with distractions as it is fairly puter lab--there's the lure of the rushed. When I take a test on difficulty of reading a lengthy easy to get off task with the internet, plus, they're so closely paper I have enough time to piece while scrolling back and internet at their finger tips. How- seated to other kids and they tend gather my thoughts and it is just forth through it when it's on a ever, the one thing that we can- to socialize more. When I talked less stressful.” computer screen.” not ever change is the way an to my classes about this, they Most people prefer taking tests Technology is taking over the individual student learns best, so agreed that they are, indeed, on paper specifically when they education system as students’ as- regardless, with any change will more focused when they're kept like to write out their work for signments are being adminis- come challenges for others. in their seats to write.” math tests. Sophomore Bailey tered through online documents. Not only are students’ assign- House ments being administered elec- states; tronically, but also their tests. “I pre- Several students are unhappy fer tak- with this change in the format as ing they feel that it is more difficult tests to test when they are staring at a on pa- computer screen. per be- Clancy believes that written cause I tests are more comfortable to can take for a student. “Written tests write are best for students. Writing is out much more versatile in my what I mind.” think Several students feel that it is and if much more easier to concentrate it is a when tests are administered sim- math ply on paper. Junior Marie test I Bezold states; “Online tests hurt can your eyes and having paper in work it front of me helps me concentrate out on as I can easily cross out, under- the pa- line, circle, etc.” per Junior Sierra King scores bet- and ter on tests which are adminis- bubble tered on paper. “I write more on in all extended response questions be- of my cause I can mark on the test and an- stories as I please. I am a visual swers.” learner that underlines, circles, Grif- and crosses out answers on my fin has tests.” not yet Pike believes that a lot less can de- go wrong with a paper test. “An cided online test can have many prob- whether lems; the computer that you are stu- taking it on can malfunction or dents just lose connection to the per- internet and you progress can be form ruined or lost.