Type-writing

The PLJ recently hosted an essay-writing contest and the poster indicated that contestants should bring laptops. I'm sure the PLJ staff did it for their own convenience. Computers facilitate the copying of files and eliminate the headache of deciphering handwriting. But reading that poster, I realized the contestants must have felt relieved themselves. I know if it were announced that I could take the memo part of the bar with the use of a laptop I'd be happier. The truth is, the keypad and keyboard generation think faster when they're allowed to use the tools of their era.

When I study for exams or recitations, I take out my pen and paper to make notes. Why? Because it forces me to process what I'm reading. The time it takes me to write down what I'm reading gives me time to repeat in my head the same thought two or three times. Unlike when I type it down and thoughts just fly across the screen. I type faster than I think and that can't be good for memorization purposes right?

However, encoding does have its purposes for the academe. Because ideas are set down faster when encoded, students should be given the opportunity to express themselves through such a medium. The easy-edit medium has changed the way that student compose answers and this should be taken into consideration in the classroom setting. Change the medium and the artistry of an argument is lost in communication. I'm not asking teachers to speak our language, I'm just saying, respect the method. ;-)

Maricris L. Real
Entry No. 15