Is Typing Like Riding a Bicycle?

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics has published research on skilled typists and the QWERTY keyboard.  The 100 participants (young adults and adults) in the study were asked to complete a short typing test.  Following the typing test, the participants were given a blank QWERTY keyboard on a piece of paper where they had 80 seconds to write the correct letters on the blank keyboard.  The results showed the following: 

• they averaged typing 72 words per minute, moving their fingers to the correct keys six times per second with 94 percent accuracy.
• they could accurately place an average of  only 15 letters on a blank keyboard.

The researchers had expected that the participants would be able to type without conscious thought (like riding a bicycle and driving a car).  Although the researchers were surprised that typists never appear to memorize the key positions, not even when they are first learning to type.  

A second study was completed using the Dvorak keyboard.  The 24 skilled QWERTY typists had to learn how to type on the Dvorak keyboard.  After a reasonable accuracy rate was established, the typists were asked to fill out a blank Dvorak keyboard.  On average, the typists were able to identify 17 letters on the blank keyboard.

The researchers concluded that the "lack of explicit knowledge of the keyboard may be due to the fact that computers and keyboards have become so ubiquitous that students learn how to use them in an informal, trial-and-error fashion when they are very young".

Interesting research to take into account when teaching keyboarding.  Have you ever tested to see what letters a student could actually identify on a blank keyboard?  This is a skill that we attempt to break down when teaching and we include memorizing where the keys are located.  When neurotypical individuals are learning to type is it purely through practice and use?  In your opinion, does learning to type require a conscious effort at first and become automatic over time?  

Reference:  Salisbury, D.  Study gives new meaning to 'let your fingers do the walking'.  Medical Express.  Retrieved from the web on 12/9/13 at http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-fingers.html#nwlt.

Google Chrome Free Typing Games

After reading a blog post from Free Resources from the Net for Every Learner (awesome blog to follow by the way) on some new free typing games available through Google Chrome, I figured I would give them a try.  I happen to use Google Chrome as a browser often because it has some nice features that Internet Explorer does not offer (plus it crashes a whole lot less). 

The first game I tried was Type Scout.  This is no frills typing practice but keeps nice data regarding your typing progress.  Basically you just follow what is on the screen and practice.  You can modify what letters or words are practiced if you want or just follow what it sets up for you.  In addition, you can turn on audio to have the letters or words read to you.  There is a tetris type game but a bit boring compared to other typing games that are available. 

Next I tried Nitro Type.  This typing game is really fun and I enjoyed playing it although I consider myself a good typist.  You need to type the words and it moves your car along in a race.  It has beautiful, fun graphics.  It also provides nice data for words per minute and accuracy.  If you create a free account it will save your data.  This game is definitely for students who are somewhat decent typists to start.

The third one I tried was Type Fu.  This again was a basic learn to type activity.  The different thing about this game is the beautiful graphs it makes about your progress.  It can show your progress for words per minutes and accuracy over one session or comparing previous sessions.  This would be a great one to use to perhaps test a student's skills after practicing with other typing games.  If you could print the graphs to show teachers and parents this app would be amazing.  Maybe you could do a screenshot but I could not figure out how to print the graphs. 

Would love to hear what your favorite typing programs are? 

Your Own Handwriting Font for Free!!!

I read about this handwriting font that you can create for free over at the iLearn Technology blog.
Basically, PilotHandwriting will generate a font for you to type based on your own handwriting. It is very simple to do.

Go to PilotHandwriting. Watch the video and print out the template. Write in all the letters. I suggest you use a felt tip black pen with at least a medium point. I tried using ball point pen and it did not work the first time around so I switched to a thin black marker which worked much better. Scan in the template back to the website. You can take a picture of the template or use the webcam if you do not have a scanner. And voila, you have your own handwriting font. Check out mine above.

Some suggestions for use:
1. Motivation for students to practice letter writing. Fill in the template to see your own handwriting on the computer.

2. For students who use assistive technology for written expression it is a simple way to submit an assignment with a handwritten look to it.

3. Motivation to practice typing with your own handwriting.

Great idea to practice typing

For any of you who work on typing, I came across this fantastic idea on the ilearn technology blog. This blog is written by a technology teacher. Her suggestion is to hold a typing Olympics in the Spring of the school year. She has created a website to help the students prepare for the Typing Olympics. Worth a look for a creative idea to motivate students to learn how to type.