Sometimes, the best ideas come from the simplest moments. Recently, a family visit to an IT and Coding Museum turned into a powerful reminder of how technology, old and new, can inspire learning and creativity.
Meeting Alan Turing… Digitally!
At the museum entrance, we were welcomed by a digital avatar of Alan Turing, a pioneer whose work laid the foundation for modern computing. It was a brilliant introduction that instantly connected us to the rich history behind the devices and apps we use today.
A full review and overview of this amazing museum is definitely coming in a future Post as there’s so much to unpack!
As a teacher passionate about tech integration, I was eager to see how the museum brought computing history to life. One exhibit caught both my son’s and my attention: a showcase of T9 texting, the predictive text system used on classic mobile phones before smartphones took over.
The Nostalgia of T9 Texting
If you remember texting on phones like the Nokia 3210 or 3310, you know T9 well. It allowed users to type messages with just a numeric keypad, using predictive algorithms to guess the words from a limited number of key presses. For me, it was a nostalgic blast from the past, yes, this definitely revealed my age!
The exhibit wasn’t just static; it had an interactive T9 texting speed challenge game. Watching my son try to type messages on it was fascinating. Though he was intrigued, it turned out our generation was still twice as fast! An unexpected win for us in the “tech race.” This playful moment reminded us how far digital communication has evolved, and how learning about past tech can still be fun and relevant.
From Museum Exhibit to Classroom Tool
That visit sparked a fresh idea: Why not bring this blend of nostalgia and challenge into the classroom?
The goal is to engage students (and adults!) with an interactive activity that’s:
- Fun and hands-on
- A doorway to understanding the evolution of technology
- A way to build digital literacy, spelling, and typing skills
- A prompt for computational thinking through early predictive text methods
This kind of activity fits perfectly with modern educational goals: making tech meaningful, not just gimmicky.
Building a T9-Style Typing Game Prototype
Back home, I created a simple T9 texting game optimised for mobile devices. I designed the interface using Canva’s <Code For Me> AI tools and refined the input logic with GPT-4o’s assistance, ensuring the numeric keypad input mapped correctly to letters and words. Some of my own custom CSS styling polished the user experience. I then tidies up the files, refactored them into three separate files css, html and JavaScript, uploaded it onto Github and shared it out!
The game challenges players to type words as quickly and accurately as possible using the classic T9 input method. It’s lightweight, engaging, and easy to use. A perfect example of how revisiting old tech can offer fresh learning opportunities.
You can try the game yourself here:
👉 Play the T9 Texting Game
And if you’re interested in the code or want to adapt it for classroom use, everything is available on GitHub, fully commented for beginners:
👉 View the Code on GitHub
Why This Matters for Educators
Incorporating retro tech like T9 texting into lessons isn’t just about nostalgia or fun. It offers genuine educational benefits:
- Sparks curiosity about the history of computing and digital communication
- Develops spelling and typing skills in an interactive, novel way
- Encourages computational thinking by exploring how predictive text systems work
- Builds intergenerational connections, allowing students, parents, and teachers to share and learn together
Tech integration in education doesn’t always have to focus on the newest gadgets or apps. Sometimes, looking back provides meaningful context and fresh inspiration for teaching and learning.
Final Thoughts
I love when simple family moments inspire new ideas for the classroom; when nostalgia meets a tech challenge and sparks creativity. This little project reminds us that tech history isn’t just about what’s behind us; it’s a tool to engage today’s learners in meaningful ways.
Try out the game, challenge your students or family, and see who’s fastest! And if your kids beat you, well…that’s just proof the future is in great hands.