Two years ago, in my anthropology class, two students “took notes” on their laptops in front of me. One of them was shopping for shoes online and the other, well, she was actively applying to other universities.
Now, I won’t be suggesting the reason she wanted to transfer was because we were allowed to have laptops, but it is an image that has stayed in my head throughout college, and it’s an image I’ve seen over and over again.
Students are usually allowed to take notes on their computers because their intention is note taking, but often, the internet is way too tempting. Students are doing everything from playing The New York Times minigame to watching sports. Others google answers in class instead of allow themselves be challenged.
Laptops are an even bigger distraction when class is one in which notes are not necessary to do well on exams. Suddenly, in a class dependent on student engagement and conversation, every student has a screen dividing them from everyone else – and for what?
Further, a 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychology found taking notes with paper and pen is significantly more conducive to learning material. The study was done by measuring brain activity in college-aged students when they handwrote notes versus when they typed them on a computer.
The study found handwriting notes required more areas of the brain, including regions that receive and process information.
Perhaps the difference comes because handwriting takes longer and requires students to process information faster, condense it and decide which information is the most important. An expert typer can type almost anything or use speech-to-text features, but handwriting requires more mental organization.
Further, research indicates handwriting notes aids memory because it requires a different physical movement for each letter, whereas typing is the same type of movement for every word, according to the National Institute of Health.
Notetaking in general also helps with becoming tired in class and invokes active listening.
Finally, handwriting notes is helpful to me for one more reason: organization. Most people would actually find organizing notes on a laptop better, but for me, I struggle with organizing notes no matter what.
On my computer, I find it impossible to be consistent on where I save notes, if I save them how I name the file – and as a Tropolitan editor, my computer has enough word documents to stifle through anyway.
When I handwrite notes, I can switch between different colored pens, access my notes when my computer isn’t with me, and I can have a notebook dedicated to each subject. It just works for me.
I recognize handwriting notes doesn’t work this well for everyone else, and how you take your notes should be a personal choice. However, if your laptop use in class is discouraging you from engaging in class conversation or is too big of a distraction, challenge yourself to close the laptop and pick up a pencil instead.
Right now, you have access to professors who are experts. Their lectures make college worth it, so it’s in your best interest to pay attention.
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