Handwriting?

An interesting if not one sided article slamming the poor handwriting found in UK schools.

The argument of handwriting at a secondary level being extremely important is becoming more and more outdated as each year passes. Both teachers and students work in a digital format as does the wider community for the most part. When was the last time a teacher handed out assignment work in a handwritten format and when was the last time a senior secondary student handed up a handwritten piece of work? And if they did why did they use such a slow inefficient way of working?

The argument that exams at a senior level require students to sit and write by hand for up to 3 hours at a time is valid under the current system as students do require the ability to effectively communicate their ideas through handwriting. This could however be looked at from the perspective that the way education departments set and run exams is outdated and old fashioned. Why can't exams be done in a digital format allowing students to access diagrams and images that assist them to explain concepts and theories?

Handwriting is still an important requirement for students and society requires legible handwriting as part of everyday life. The question is will the day arrive when digital communication takes over entirely and handwriting is not a required part of our education system?