The benefit of taking notes by hand has been the topic of several of these blogs, but it’s certainly worth revisiting. While note-taking on a laptop may be faster, that speed may actually hinder comprehension and memory. Data from research studies at Princeton and UCLA demonstrate that hand-written notes enable students to retain more information for longer periods than do typed notes. “The Princeton study states, “Note-takers who used laptops created nearly verbatim records of the lectures in the study but scored lower on tests of retention than those who wrote their notes longhand.” The effort of taking notes long-hand appears to have the benefit of allowing students to think more intensely and comprehend the material. Writing allows the learner to make connections between idea units and engage in deep processing of course content. The ability to take verbatim notes using a keyboard may actually hinder rather than benefit retention. In addition, note-taking on a computer or laptop can offer more distractions, with ads, e-mail, and text messages.
Brain imaging shows that low-tech writing by hand increases neural activity in certain sections of the brain. In fact, some educational research goes so far as to recommend cursive note taking over printed notes. In fact, recent research demonstrates that writing can reduce test anxiety, assist in learning, and boost self esteem.
A recent article in Forbes magazine reinforces the benefits of eschewing typing notes in favor of writing them. It highlights three benefits: 1)Improved memory 2)Better comprehension 3)Fewer distractions. So, the answer to the question proposed in the article: Is it time to return to handwritten notes?” is a resounding YES!
