Old-School Tools Make a Comeback
Across Canadian universities, some professors are reaching back a few decades for teaching tools their students have never touched before class: typewriters, handwritten notes, and old-fashioned classroom debate. The goal isn't nostalgia — it's a direct response to the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, which have made it easier than ever for students to shortcut assignments without doing the thinking themselves.
Instructors say they're noticing a shift in how students engage with material when AI is just a few taps away. Take-home essays and problem sets, once staples of higher education, are increasingly vulnerable to being outsourced to a chatbot. In response, professors are redesigning their courses around methods that can't be faked by a language model.
Handwriting, Typewriters, and Real-Time Thinking
Some instructors have started requiring handwritten notes instead of typed ones, arguing that the physical act of writing forces students to process and retain information rather than passively transcribing a lecture. Others have gone further, assigning coursework to be completed on typewriters — a method that makes it physically impossible to copy-paste AI-generated text into an assignment.
In-depth question-and-answer sessions following oral presentations are also making a comeback. Rather than grading a slideshow or a written report alone, professors are probing students on the spot, asking them to explain their reasoning, defend their conclusions, and respond to follow-up questions in real time. It's a format that rewards genuine understanding over polished, potentially AI-assisted, presentation.
Boosting Engagement, Not Just Blocking AI
While combating AI shortcuts is a major driver, professors say these methods have another benefit: they simply make classrooms more engaging. Discussion-based problem solving encourages students to work through ideas together rather than sitting passively through a lecture. Handwriting and typewriter assignments slow students down, giving them more time to think critically about the material rather than rushing to produce a final product.
The shift reflects a broader reckoning happening at universities across the country as AI tools become deeply embedded in student life. Rather than banning AI outright — an approach many educators consider unenforceable — some professors are redesigning the learning experience itself so that genuine engagement becomes the path of least resistance, not an afterthought.
What It Means for Students
For students, the return of old-school classroom methods might mean more in-person accountability and less reliance on take-home tools. It also signals that Canadian universities are actively experimenting with how to preserve the value of a degree in an era where information — and increasingly, entire essays — can be generated in seconds.
Whether typewriters and handwritten notes become a lasting trend or a temporary stopgap remains to be seen, but for now, they represent one of the more creative responses to a challenge facing classrooms nationwide.
Source: CBC News
