Gen Z might be losing the skill to use computer keyboards, experts fear

Gen Z are considered technical wizards considering they have grown with technology. While they might have mastered using smartphones and tablets, there is one area where they are falling behind - typing on keyboards.

Experts suggest that Gen Z is likely losing theability to type on a keyboard. With most gadgets using on-screen typing or touchscreen typing, touch typing might soon become a forgotten skill.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, there has been a fall in the number of schools offering 'keyboarding' classes. There are not many takers for typing courses as well, and the number has seen a drastic reduction in the last 25 years.

The Daily Mail reported that in the United Kingdom, typing skills are described as 'desirable', yet the national curriculum does not include typing. The data on how many students are taught touch typing in the country is also not available.

Reports suggest that students prefer using their devices to write and upload assignments instead of using a computer. Instructure, a Utah-based company, which makes platforms for students to upload work, says that in May, 39 per cent of assignments uploaded were written on an online device.

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Typing speed improves with how much you type, and since students are not using computers to do their work, they are not getting much practice typing on a physical keyboard. Hence, they are likely to fall behind in terms of proficiency in typing.

10-19-year-olds type faster on screen

In fact, touchscreen typing speeds are now fast catching up with computer typing speeds. Alto University and the University of Cambridge studied 37,000 typers in 2019 and found that the mean typing speed on a smartphone was 38 words per minute (wpm) compared to about 52 on a standard QWERTY keyboard.

The so-called "typing gap" is much less for those aged 10-19. They have been found to type 10 wpm faster on a phone than those in their 40s. This is because the study found that they spend six hours per day on their mobile devices on average.

However, experts say that this is not proof of Gen Z losing the ability to touch type. In fact, some teachers said that a keyboard spelling competition led them to increase their typing speed.