Be aware: Some posts may be delayed. We apologize for that! An article on NPR caught my eye. First, because it was on a topic many consider settled science--haven't we moved on from handwriting to keyboarding? Audio even? If you poll schools, you'll find that many continue to teach handwriting, partly because without it, how
can adults sign checks and contracts? But also, because there are undeniable cognitive benefits students experience through the process of learning to write: - Enhanced memory and learning: Handwriting improves retention of information compared to typing.
- Improved hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, essential for cognitive development .
- Enhanced creativity and critical
thinking: The slower pace of handwriting allows for more time to think and formulate ideas, fostering creativity and critical thinking.
- Better reading fluency and comprehension skill
- Improved spelling, grammar, and composition, which are crucial for academic success and test performance.
Those are five reasons to get you thinking maybe there is still a place for handwriting in education. Now for NPR's excellent
article: |
In response to the challenges of COVID, a dissatisfaction with local in-person schools, and increasingly diverse needs of the high school student population, enrollment in US virtual schools is now over 300,000 with about 20% of students taking at least one online course. There are pros and cons of attending class via
computer. You can learn on your own schedule, but what if you have connectivity issues? You have more independence in your learning, but what if the teacher isn't inspirational? One big issue among many is the importance of building community in virtual schools. The Ask a Tech Teacher team dug into this: On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first man to place foot on the moon. Commemorate that this year with an exciting collection of websites and apps that take your students to the Moon: Click for links Questions? Go ahead and ask! I love tech ed questions. You can either reply to this newsletter or contact me via email. |
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