"Grit Matthias Phelps, a German language instructor at Cornell University, introduces her students to the raw feeling of typing without online assistance. The exercise started in spring 2023 as Phelps grew frustrated with the reality that students were using generative AI and online translation platforms to churn out grammatically perfect assignments."
"Phelps wanted students to understand what writing, thinking and classrooms were like before everything turned digital. She found a few dozen old manual typewriters and created what her syllabus simply calls an 'analog' assignment."
"Students arrived for class on a recent analog day to find typewriters at the desks. 'I was so confused. I had no idea what was happening. I'd seen typewriters in movies, but they don't tell you how a typewriter works,' said Catherine Mong, a freshman in Phelps' Intro to German class."
Grit Matthias Phelps, a German language instructor at Cornell University, introduced manual typewriters to her students to combat reliance on digital tools. This analog assignment aims to help students appreciate the writing process without online aids. Phelps's initiative reflects a broader trend in education towards traditional testing methods to mitigate the influence of AI. Students expressed confusion and surprise at the mechanics of typewriters, highlighting the generational gap in understanding these devices. The exercise emphasizes the importance of original thought and writing skills in a digital age.
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