The purpose of handwriting with tablet-computers and smartpens in mathematical group work over distance

In traditional group work in mathematics, handwriting is a relevant element to enable reasoning, for instance, by supporting the generation of ideas or the storing of information. However, as COVID- 19 has forced students to learn mathematics over distance, trad1⁄2itional handwriting cannot be used anymore during group work. To address this issue, this exploratory study investigated the question of how students can use handwriting in a mobile-learning setting via Zoom, in which students use tablets and smartpens to collaborate over distance. It was found that, compared to traditional group work with pen-and-paper, the distance collaboration setup allows for handwriting to become a syn- chronous collaboration tool, for example, enabling the individual development of ideas that can be extended by peers. More research is needed to investigate the particular epistemic role of handwriting and, particularly, the role of handwriting with smartpens in distance collaboration settings.