I utilized writing a draft research proposal on AI and STEM learning. I typically begin my writing process by hand, where I note down my ideas on paper. If I make any mistakes or think of improvements, I write notes in the margins. Once I have gathered a substantial amount of thoughts on paper, I move to a digital format of writing to enhance and polish them.
As pointed out by Innis (2007) that both handwriting and typing presented their own unique limitations and possibilities. When I made mistakes or wanted to revise my writing by hand, the process was undeniably cumbersome. Correcting and revising handwritten text was often messy and lacks flexibility. Additionally, physical storage of handwritten notes and documents could become unmanageable. However, despite the challenges, I did appreciate the act of writing by hand for its unique benefits. Handwriting connected me more deeply to the ideas that I jotted down. The tactile experience of forming each letter and word fostered a stronger cognitive connection with the content. When writing by hand, I found that I was more thoughtful and deliberate, allowing me to capture ideas in a raw, unfiltered manner.
With regard to typing, the constraint that I could think of was that digital format of writing could lead to distractions from notifications and other digital interruptions. Apart from this, my digital text were easily editable, enhancing the flexibility and clarity of writing. As discussed by Bolter (2008), digital writing technologies allowed my writing for a more dynamic and interactive engagement with text and providing seamless revisions and effortless reorganizations of the content.
At the end of the day, I would like to keep using both handwriting and digital writing. Writing by hand, I believe, represents a tangible connection to the text, where the physical act of writing fosters a deep, personal engagement with ideas. The digital format of writing, on the other hand, leverages the capabilities of modern text technology, facilitating flexible editing and effortless revisions of written texts.
Bolter, J. D. (2008). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print (2nd ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Innis, H. (2007). Empire and communications. Dundurn Press.