Handwritten Notes Improve Learning

[gleem]

More research is confirming that taking handwritten notes improves learning. The discussion of this research appeared in https://www.newsweek.com/neuroscientists-reveal-trick-help-study-1863968.

Audrey van der Meer, a brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and co-author of the study told Newsweek that they were surprised to find that "differences in brain activity during handwriting and typewriting were so clear and prominent."

"We know that writing by hand is excellent brain stimulation for people of all ages. The careful forming of the required letters by hand is a fine sensorimotor skill that activates most of the brain," van der Meer told Newsweek. "When we write by hand, important neural networks are formed that promote learning and remembering. Many people believe that we have a brain to think or feel and are surprised to learn that the brain evolved mainly to control movement. Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning."

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Do not have time to read the article this week [finals],

but I am interested to know if the same can be said about notes written using a stylus and tablet combination [ipad,surface pro, etc]

 

[gleem]

but I am interested to know if the same can be said about notes written using a stylus and tablet combination [ipad,surface pro, etc]

From the Newsweek article:

During the experiment, the students used a digital pen to form the letters. However, this did not affect the findings. The researchers believe it is the physical forming of letters that improves attention and recall in the brain, rather than the computer screen.

 

[symbolipoint]

I have not enough patience to read the linked article either, but taking Notes using writing with pen or pencil onto paper is far more natural than in some other (highly technologized) way.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Audrey van der Meer

Any relation?

 

[Vanadium 50]

that taking handwritten notes improves learning

Did they show that? It seems that they showed that taking handwritten notes required more brain activity. This may be true, but a study showing students playing poker during a lecture might also well show increased brain activity. Not so sure about learning.

(Other than not trying to fill an inside straight)

 

[Hornbein]

I was a graduate student in mathematics. Taking notes didn't help me at all. I had to learn from a textbook. I asked the other students about it, they said taking notes was key for them.