ATAR Notes: Forum
General Discussion => General Discussion Boards => Other General Discussion => Topic started by: /0 on October 20, 2009, 05:28:13 pm
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/03/2703910.htm
What do you think of this? I think it's a great idea because technology is increasingly becoming a valued resource in classrooms. However, if it is so that examiners won't need to read 'sloppy' writing then it's only making matters worse.
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Possibly creating their own word processor that will disallow dictionaries, thesauruses, and only allow just plain typing.
Notepad to the rescue!
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It's so much easier to backspace something on a computer than erasing it when you're handwriting. That's why I've gotten into a bad habit of typing up all my essays and then re-copying them by hand just because it's more convenient. And you won't have to worry about neatness when you're rushed for time, and my handwriting is absolutely shocking.
But I'd still prefer for exams to remain handwritten.
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I heard students are allowed to use internet, laptops in exams in Poland or somewhere around there.
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Hmm, computers for exams, I remember how teachers always use the excuse "you can't use laptops for exams, so get used to writing faster".
To be honest, I feel that I come up with a lot more ideas on computer than hand-writing, I have NO idea why (does any1 else get that)?. I use computers to type up ideas/essays etc because its faster for me in thinking and getting it down, also editing it is so much better.
And yes, I was wondering, what about the thesaurus that we just all LOVE to us! I don't believe this may actually become established by 2012 So soon!
And I totally agree with andrewloppol. It may favour fast typers. Okay, handwriting may favour "fast hand-writers", but when it comes to computing, a lot of people don't know how to touch type, and if you look at a previous thread that I posted, some people write 200 words per minute, some wrote 100-160. That is a BIG difference. It is surprising the article didn't consider it as a set back. Does anybody have any ways to help bridge the divide? Considering to, some schools have subjects dedicated to learning to touch type.
I would really like it for English though! History would also benefit from it.
One thing however, don't call me anti-technology, but the article said "icnreaisngly students hand-writing is becoming sloppy".
I think there should also be a focus back on primary school to CORRECTING peoples handwriting/teaching better practices to ensure people write neater/nice. I have many friends from Europe and around the world who have arrived to Australia, their handwriting is amazing! All cursive and formal yet readable.
We will continue to use hand-writing for many things in daily life, so it is essential we don't let it "rot", look at a few years ago where doctors started providing ELECTRONIC prescriptions because there hand writing was so messy people over-dosed/died or something from illegible hand-writing.
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All good points Nova. Oddly enough, I too feel like I get better ideas when typing essays. I think it is because your mind is more free to think, as for many people in our age the actual process of typing itself is not a big deal and very quick. When writing by hand you have to focus a little more on the actual process of writing (failing to do so leads to random expression stuff-ups / words missing in many cases) which reduces the capacity you have to think of ideas.
As for the thesaurus, I think it could be a negative for some people. Some people may go on the thesaurus looking for 'big words' but may not know how to use them. Examiners would have to be stricter then I guess.
And while 200 words per minute is unfeasible (that's 3.33 words per second...) it is true that this gives touch typers an advantage. But I guess typing is one of those things it is not too hard to get fast at if you write a lot. I don't know, that's merely conjecture
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some people write 200 words per minute, some wrote 100-160.
Highest was 131 by /0. Average was probably around 100, but I guess VN represents quite a more technology-oriented population than you'd expect in the Australian public.
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some people write 200 words per minute, some wrote 100-160.
Highest was 131 by /0. Average was probably around 100, but I guess VN represents quite a more technology-oriented population than you'd expect in the Australian public.
yeah I know, I must have rounded up for some reason, 200 did seem like a lot, but I didn't bother re-checking that thread, haha, so I added after wards 100-160 just to be safe :P.
Better edit now, it does seem rather un-realistic.
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I hate this idea. It detracts completely from the zen of english. There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper. Introducing computers would destroy the grace and soul of english.
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I hate this idea. It detracts completely from the zen of english. There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper. Introducing computers would destroy the grace and soul of english.
That's a unique perspective on it. Which is why I hope they retain the art of writing, and work on improving how student's write!
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I hate this idea. It detracts completely from the zen of english. There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper. Introducing computers would destroy the grace and soul of english.
That's a unique perspective on it. Which is why I hope they retain the art of writing, and work on improving how student's write!
There's something so repugnant about the idea of sitting in exams behind computers whirring away. I don't understand why people are submitting to a world where the human hand is replaced by a keyboard.
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I hate this idea. It detracts completely from the zen of english. There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper. Introducing computers would destroy the grace and soul of english.
That's a unique perspective on it. Which is why I hope they retain the art of writing, and work on improving how student's write!
There's something so repugnant about the idea of sitting in exams behind computers whirring away. I don't understand why people are submitting to a world where the human hand is replaced by a keyboard.
Human hand is still used ;).
What's dissimilar between using your hand in a curving, accurate motion to draw letters than using your fingertips to habitually push buttons?
PS. I love your sentences!
LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
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I hate this idea. It detracts completely from the zen of english. There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper. Introducing computers would destroy the grace and soul of english.
That's a unique perspective on it. Which is why I hope they retain the art of writing, and work on improving how student's write!
There's something so repugnant about the idea of sitting in exams behind computers whirring away. I don't understand why people are submitting to a world where the human hand is replaced by a keyboard.
Technophobe?
What's the big deal?
I'm an early adopter. I dare to try out new innovations in the way things are done! And if it transforms the way we do things, so be it!
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Human hand is still used ;).
What's dissimilar between using your hand in a curving, accurate motion to draw letters than using your fingertips to habitually push buttons?
PS. I love your sentences!
Hahah. Well I think if you look too far into anything everything becomes as arbitrary as anything else, but without getting too philosophical I think it's fair to say that handwriting can be considered one of the fundamental forms of human expression. The product of this 'curving accurate motion' is instilled with humanity- It is an extremely personal form of communication. With computers we are no longer scribing our ideas into paper, we are relying on technology, electricity and printers. I don't like the idea of becoming any more reliant on machines than we already are.
LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
Your ignoring the implications of having exams on computers. Every class will be computer based, and all exam preparation will be computer based in order to prepare for the conditions of the exam. Clearly, handwriting and typing would swap places in terms of use.
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Nice language dude!! Btw though, what happened with your quoting :P, how on earth did you manage THAT?
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Nice language dude!! Btw though, what happened with your quoting :P, how on earth did you manage THAT?
I have no idea. I fixed it. Don't know what went wrong :P
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LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
Your ignoring the implications of having exams on computers. Every class will be computer based, and all exam preparation will be computer based in order to prepare for the conditions of the exam. Clearly, handwriting and typing would swap places in terms of use.
Then there's the implications of having an education system focused on the use computers of course, given that the education system really forms the foundation for a large proportion of society (not sure whether you were inferring this or not, so sorry if you were, it wasn't really made clear).
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Haha, I bet the NSW Education Board is following our analysis very closely. I never thoguht of how schools will start turning more to computers (as you suggested) once exam becomes computer based.
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LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
Your ignoring the implications of having exams on computers. Every class will be computer based, and all exam preparation will be computer based in order to prepare for the conditions of the exam. Clearly, handwriting and typing would swap places in terms of use.
Then there's the implications of having an education system focused on the use computers of course, given that the education system really forms the foundation for a large proportion of society (not sure whether you were inferring this or not, so sorry if you were, it wasn't really made clear).
Sorry I think I may have confused you. Basically, I was trying to say that if computers were what you use on the exam, obviously most exam preparation would be on computers. This in itself would encourage typing to usurp handwriting.
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LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
Your ignoring the implications of having exams on computers. Every class will be computer based, and all exam preparation will be computer based in order to prepare for the conditions of the exam. Clearly, handwriting and typing would swap places in terms of use.
Then there's the implications of having an education system focused on the use computers of course, given that the education system really forms the foundation for a large proportion of society (not sure whether you were inferring this or not, so sorry if you were, it wasn't really made clear).
Sorry I think I may have confused you. Basically, I was trying to say that if computers were what you use on the exam, obviously most exam preparation would be on computers. This in itself would encourage typing to usurp handwriting.
Yeh, wasn't sure whether you meant it would solely in an educational domain, or societal (and I actually still don't).
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LOL we are all making it sound as if the whole world is resorting to computers. When theoretically we are only talking about 12 hours of total exam time to type. I am sure people will ALWAYS love/need the want for people to hand-write. Look at BOOKS for example, and NEWSPAPERS, everybody thought they will die out due to online updates and news, yet they still have survived (till this day)
BTW, isn't it interesting how 12 hours worth of exams dictates 50% of your study score! 12 hours!
Your ignoring the implications of having exams on computers. Every class will be computer based, and all exam preparation will be computer based in order to prepare for the conditions of the exam. Clearly, handwriting and typing would swap places in terms of use.
Then there's the implications of having an education system focused on the use computers of course, given that the education system really forms the foundation for a large proportion of society (not sure whether you were inferring this or not, so sorry if you were, it wasn't really made clear).
Sorry I think I may have confused you. Basically, I was trying to say that if computers were what you use on the exam, obviously most exam preparation would be on computers. This in itself would encourage typing to usurp handwriting.
Yeh, wasn't sure whether you meant it would solely in an educational domain, or societal (and I actually still don't).
Both really, but mostly educational.
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There is something rather beautiful about picking up a pen and using our bare hands to transpose our ideas onto paper.
I feel this way too. I hate the fact that the course I do means that I spend most of my time typing (lecturers speak too fast). I love putting pen to paper. If I had a choice I'd probably pick a handwriting exam.