For many, using a pen and paper is an outdated way of taking notes. A lot of students have access to some kind of laptop or tablet and find it quicker to type notes rather than write them down. However, that might not be the most beneficial way of notetaking. In comparing taking notes by hand and using a digital device, handwritten notes have been shown to improve memory while also helping students better comprehend and focus on the material they’re learning.
Engagement of your mind
One reason that handwritten notes produce better results in students is that taking handwritten notes forces students to slow down and think about what they’re writing, rather than simply typing what appears on a PowerPoint. This gives their brains a chance to absorb the material, rather than passively recording it. Because of this, handwriting activates movement, causing more effort to be exerted by the notetaker, making them more likely to remember the action and likewise the material they took note of.
Greater attention to material
Aside from handwritten notes being more comprehensible than digital notes, notebooks also provide less room for distraction than digital devices like laptops and tablets. When students have access to the internet while they are taking notes, it is easy for them to become distracted by things like other homework, browsing online, and communicating with their classmates digitally. This can hinder students from paying attention to the material and learning. However, with a notebook, students don’t have many opportunities for distraction that turns their focus away from the lesson. Handwriting notes, then, makes students more likely to pay attention to the material and increase their engagement in class.
Increased organization
Finally, typing notes in a word document does not give students time to plan their notes in the same way handwriting them does. When handwriting their notes, students choose how they wish for it to look in their notebooks. Additionally, with handwritten notes, there’s more opportunity to add notes in the margins and draw pictures to better illustrate the points than there is in the Notes app or Microsoft Word on a laptop. Additionally, because you cannot write as quickly as you can type, there is more opportunity for prioritization in your notetaking. This allows the notetaker to pick out main ideas and internalize them more than simply typing all the information presented. For this reason, handwritten notes tend to be more efficient, memorable, and organized than digital notes.
Additionally, aside from the productivity and memory benefits, taking handwritten notes also allows you to choose a fun notebook that appeals to your interests and personality. Explore the themed stationery at datebookstore.com to find a notebook that will perfectly store everything you need to remember.
