Summary: The Biophysics Dept has the rule of No Typed but Hand-Written Preparaton. I think it is not rational and thus should be criticised to change. Either typed or hand-written should be a student choice; especially forcing hand-written is against the age of computer and even uneducational. Rule represents People; Abusurd Rule represents absurd people. Thus we need to be always sensitive to our own rules.

Situation We have a Biophysics Lab every week. You have to prepare for it in advance; you have a summary of 5 or 6 pages(or more) before we do a lab. I did it hand-written first, but my dominant hand started to ache because of such a volume of hand-writing and I found it is efficient to use computer and to type instead. I did not know and never imagine that they have this absurd rule.

• Irrational
They said that it is a rule and so students should follow it. The person in charge even said that we don't need to agree with it and that it is a rule thus students must obey it. I was so shocked with this authority way of thinking, especially because we are taught in Ethics class that this authority way of thinking is obsolete and we should be rational and critical; Nothing is accepted before examined, and even authority should be examined.
• Non-Educational
Educatinally importance is that students can choose either way properly; when computer has a better effect then you should be able to use computer, or if hand-written is beneficial then you should be able to choose hand-written. That is so-called computer literacy education; how to use computer is just a part of it and this judgement part is more important. Educational is make students think and give them ability to judge and for students to take advantage of anything properly ; in this case students should learn when they should use computer and when hand-written. Therefore this forcing-hand-written rule is not educational, either. Education of Good Judgement is a right way to Excellence.
• Against Constituion
Forcing Hand-Written is also absurd in another aspect; Freedom of Expression, which is included in all of modern constitution of countries. Either Hand-Written or Typed should be a student choice because it is their freedom of how to express their knowledge; if you prefer expressing your knowledge then use computer, or if you like hand-written then hand-written.
• Against the Age and International Standard
I think this-student-choice is an international standard; Like my Norwegian friend told me that in Norway they are taught computer is their friend and take the advantage of it anytime. I think this way of thinking is rational if you consider the time of this computer age and no one can not stop this "third" tidal wave.

Let us summarize comparison of the difference including more practical views.

• Merit of computer:
  • Practically
    • It does not hurt your hands, considering the volume of hand-written.
    • It is faster and more efficient; especially it is considered that we are summarizing in our words thus we make many mistakes while summarizing theory.
    • It is very easy to read; we are from 66 countries and hand-written are very different and sometimes very hard to read.
  • In more principle based aspects
    • Educational: Comparing hand-written and typed and choose the best way for you is more important and more educational than forcing one way.
    • Freedom of Expreesion: Some people feel that computer is better to present their knowledge. Forcing hand-written is against this principle.
    • It meets the age and the demand of society. Forcing hand-written is out of date.

• Demerit of computer:
  • Easy to copy. (They said that students would just copy and would not study properly.)

They mentioned that they have this rule because if somebody use computer it is very easy to copy. This makes sense, but in my opinion this is not good enough reason to have this rule; These students will pay for it for instance at the exam, because they don't know anything about the theory since they did not learn anything but just copied it.

This is my third university and my first and second university don't have this absurd rule, even that was years ago. I think every university has balanced merits and demerits of this and decided that it should be a student choice. I don't think no good school have this rule.

Some people would say that it is not so big deal. Please be warned that rules represent people; sorry to say this, absurd rules represent absurd people. That is why we need to keep eyes on our rules and to change rules properly.

I think that we definitely should change the rule. However, I will follow the rule however absurd I think this rule is, simply because it is the rule and that is the power of rule. But please notice that when I am following this rule I am always feeling I am one of absurd people and against excellence. Maybe this is why I am so strongly trying to change this rule; I always would like to be rational and be toward excellence.

Note: I did not say that every old thing is bad. We need to carefully examine the traditional things, and we need to stick to them if necessary but we need to change them if it is more rational. I believe it is a good way toward Excellence too.