Effects of Handwriting vs. Typing on the Performance of Pupils in Secondary Education

Abstract: Abstract  There is increasing use of technology in the education system, such as computers, and different programs learners can use to study vocabulary. In this study, the goal was to find out if pupils in secondary education learn new vocabulary more efficiently when handwriting or typing on a computer. To study the matter, firstly, a recall and recognition test was conducted followed by a word acquisition test. Finally, two group interviews were performed to find out if there was an agreement between pupils’ understanding of how they learn most efficiently, by typing or by handwriting, and the results of this study.  The study departs from the theory that learners acquire new vocabulary more efficiently when writing by hand since the motor process of handwriting increases activity in the brain, which possibly makes learners remember better what they have written. In addition, we have considered the theory that young people who have lived their whole life with technology are more proficient in typing, rather than writing by hand and if that is the case, will it affect their motor memory? Finally, the theory that computer-assisted language learning makes vocabulary acquisition more efficient will be discussed through pupils’ own opinions from the interviews.  The result from this study shows that pupils in secondary education in Sweden, learn vocabulary in a foreign language more efficiently when typing on a computer rather than writing by hand. This is not in agreement with pupils’ thoughts, nevertheless, it is in accordance with their preferences.