Technology Cited for Decline In Cursive Handwriting

(U-WIRE) LINCOLN, Neb. - Technology may be drowning the importance of handwriting.

Hand-written documents, either in cursive or block leader, are rarely seen in this fast-paced world; people disagree on whether it's a problem or not.

Some people at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said computers are mainly to blame for the downturn in handwriting.

Courtney Vaughn, a sophomore international business major, said the last time she had to write in cursive was three years ago in high school. "Everything turned in has to be typed," she said.

Vaughn said the only time people write in cursive is when they sign documents. "Even that doesn't have to be written in cursive," she said. "I don't even write my name out; I initial all my documents."

Guy Trainin, a professor in teaching, learning and teacher education, said sometimes professors require students to handwrite their exams with blue books, but even that's soon to change. He said people should know how to read and write - but not in cursive.

Lauren Cotton, a junior fashion merchandising major, said many people choose to type because it's faster and easier to correct mistakes.

Trainin said people should be asking themselves why cursive is important at all. "Knowing how to read and write is more important than how to write nicely," he said. "It's more a technological issue than anything else."

Learning to write in cursive was more important at a younger age, Trainin said.

Now students are learning to type as children.

Society isn't showing that it values handwriting, Trainin said, and shorthand is rarely taught at the college level anymore. "Cursive will disappear," he said. "It disappears daily."

Brock Michael, a junior biological science major, said he was required to write in cursive four years ago in high school.

"The quality of handwriting is definitely declining," Michael said.

Ken Winkle, chair of the history department, said handwriting was important in the past. Though times have changed, he said, it is still important to know how to write by hand.

As a historian, Winkle comes across many documents that were handwritten. "Historians read in all kinds of conditions, and so we're good at deciphering things in vast conditions," Winkle said.

Until about 200 years ago, he said, many people could not read or write.

"I don't think students appreciate the importance of good handwriting," Winkle said.