Love the idea here, but honestly, none of the bad handwriting examples here come close to the sort of bad handwriting I see with dyslexic/dysgraphic students, who struggle not just with handwriting but also with spelling, capitalization, punctuation etc. Brilliant, very superior IQ kids who have fabulous writing content but just can't get past either the associations of neatness with ability or the assumptions that they must be careless or lazy (since they are obviously not unintelligent). Not sure how AI would combat that. Does the AI transcription correct spelling and mechanics to combat that bias as well?
It's nothing new to hear that teachers perceive a link between handwriting ability and/ or neatness and subject knowledge or ability. It's the same perception that drives the relentless focus on what kids look like rather than their learning and outcomes. I think there is a significant percentage of parents and teachers, and those who wield power, who see a correlation between school students adhering to a strict formal school uniform and attainment and achievement. What do teachers new to the profession think about h/w? I would bet that few current ITT courses offer much input on teaching handwriting despite the proven links between correct letter formation and spelling and similar for number. Being able to write neatly and accurately is a useful, transferable skill and still essential for exams. But it has to be viewed in proportion. I can't see that an AI program will alter teachers' day to day bias if they still see ' neat and tidy' as an end in itself. I can remember ' Lovely neat work' being a commonly seen comment on many kids' work and not only back in the day.
Thanks for sharing Daisy. The evidence around handwriting bias is hard to ignore and raises serious questions about fairness in assessment.
I am interested in what role you see AI playing in classroom-based assessment rather than formal exams. Do you think it has the same potential to reduce bias in day-to-day marking and feedback?
It seems to be fairly similar to humans - lots of crossings out can confuse it and it does well with what humans think of as neat writing. We will keep the Substack updated with future findings…
Love the idea here, but honestly, none of the bad handwriting examples here come close to the sort of bad handwriting I see with dyslexic/dysgraphic students, who struggle not just with handwriting but also with spelling, capitalization, punctuation etc. Brilliant, very superior IQ kids who have fabulous writing content but just can't get past either the associations of neatness with ability or the assumptions that they must be careless or lazy (since they are obviously not unintelligent). Not sure how AI would combat that. Does the AI transcription correct spelling and mechanics to combat that bias as well?
No, it is just a transcription! No corrections.
It's nothing new to hear that teachers perceive a link between handwriting ability and/ or neatness and subject knowledge or ability. It's the same perception that drives the relentless focus on what kids look like rather than their learning and outcomes. I think there is a significant percentage of parents and teachers, and those who wield power, who see a correlation between school students adhering to a strict formal school uniform and attainment and achievement. What do teachers new to the profession think about h/w? I would bet that few current ITT courses offer much input on teaching handwriting despite the proven links between correct letter formation and spelling and similar for number. Being able to write neatly and accurately is a useful, transferable skill and still essential for exams. But it has to be viewed in proportion. I can't see that an AI program will alter teachers' day to day bias if they still see ' neat and tidy' as an end in itself. I can remember ' Lovely neat work' being a commonly seen comment on many kids' work and not only back in the day.
Thanks for sharing Daisy. The evidence around handwriting bias is hard to ignore and raises serious questions about fairness in assessment.
I am interested in what role you see AI playing in classroom-based assessment rather than formal exams. Do you think it has the same potential to reduce bias in day-to-day marking and feedback?
Lots to think about.
Can you comment on the accuracy of the AI transcription? Is there any hand writing it struggles with?
It seems to be fairly similar to humans - lots of crossings out can confuse it and it does well with what humans think of as neat writing. We will keep the Substack updated with future findings…