I do give my students a daily writing task on a private Internet message board area. There, they have the chance to type answers and comments.Yet, it seems a little strange that I still collect most assignments and examinations on paper. I imagine that many of these people will never sit down with a pad or notebook when working on a project at their future places of employment. Do I continue to do things the way instructors have since the industrial revolution simply by habit? Could it be because it is easier for me to correct the resulting work when it's in paper form?
I guess many of the important processes carry over from paper to an electronic format. Planning and organizing are the same regardless of the output chosen. A pencil has an eraser and a keyboard has a < DEL > key. Spelling is more of a chore without the help of software. Moving around entire sentences or paragraph is easier on a monitor too. Am I really preparing students for their careers by having them write out answers with a pencil and paper?
I've no solid answers or conclusions for any of these ideas today. They are something I do want to continue to mull over though.