From a 2007 documentary on Helvetica to a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship for typeface design, fonts and typefaces have recently gained popularity and prestige in the public eye.

A Globe and Mail article published March 5 links this spike in visibility to the advent of technology. Where handwriting was once a vital skill—with students spending hours a day in practice—learning cursive is increasingly marginalized in the classroom, supplanted largely by time allotted to keyboarding.

There are two sides to the debate. One suggests that handwriting is a key element of the expressive process and that computers have a stifling effect on creativity.

However, the Globe article credits typing—and typefaces—as a handy defence for those who struggle with bad handwriting. Furthermore, some argue that an increasingly broad range of available fonts allows typists a level of personal expression that one wouldn’t normally associate with typed text.

In an age where most communication occurs electronically, it’s undoubtedly more practical for students to be taught typing at an early age. Typing is also more efficient than handwriting—it isn’t hard to learn to type faster than one can write.

At the same time, the importance of handwriting for creative endeavours can’t be overstated. Where typing might be fast, handwriting often helps one internalize information on the fly, instead of simply transcribing mass amounts of information in one sitting. In addition, while handwriting might become less important, neat writing will always be a useful skill. Until assessments are conducted electronically, those with poor penmanship will always run the risk of incomprehensibility.

Regardless of which side of the debate one endorses, practical considerations apply on both sides.

Handwriting and typing are both forms of expression, and the content matters most. Getting this material across is a top priority, but typists need to recognize that the ease and speed of typing also makes it easier to overlook mistakes.

While cursive will likely fall into disuse with the passage of time, writing effectively may become faster, but certainly no easier.