ABSTRACT
The first goal of this chapter is to show the significant role of using a traditional pen and paper in writing versus a keyboard or other electronic devices. The facilitative role of handwriting in language learning and other learning situations is illustrated by reviewing behavioral and neuroscientific studies. The results of these studies show that using handwriting as opposed to keyboard entry significantly improves both the quality and the quantity of L1 and L2 writing and boosts cognitive development. To provide a comparison between the two ways of writing, an automatic handwritten recognition system appears necessary. The second goal of this chapter is to describe and review technologies that can convert students’ handwritten work into a machine-readable format. Advances in cloud computing, deep learning, and ultra-fast processors enable such handwriting recognition technologies to be embedded as a pre-processing unit within the platforms performing automated writing evaluation systems.
