German language instructor at Cornell University, Grit Matthias Phelps, has started using typewriters to teach students how to type without online assistance. The exercise started in spring 2023 after Phelps became frustrated with students using generative AI and online translation platforms to produce grammatically perfect assignments. She found several old manual typewriter in thrift shops and online marketplaces and created an "analog" assignment. The typewriter is part of a trend towards old-school testing methods, like in-class pen-and-paper exams and oral tests to prevent AI use for assignments on laptops. The assignment teaches students about how to interact with the typewriter and the necessity of manually returning the carriage to start the next line.