How Should Students Take Notes?

Keyboards and touchscreens dominate our daily lives, and lately, the debate over the effectiveness of handwriting versus typing for learning has gained some attention. Are there cognitive implications of these two distinct modes of note-taking? Let’s consider some research surrounding handwriting and typing and their impact on memory retention, comprehension, and overall learning outcomes.

The Cognitive Benefits of Handwriting and Typing

Handwriting engages different cognitive processes compared to typing. A study by Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014), found that students who took notes by hand retained information better than those who typed. The researchers proposed that physically writing information helps with encoding and understanding, improving long-term retention. Additionally, a study published in Psychological Science by Mangen et al. (2015) discovered that the tactile feedback associated with handwriting, such as the feeling of pen on paper, stimulates the brain in ways that typing on a keyboard does not. This tactile engagement is believed to enhance the learning experience by creating a stronger connection between the learner and the material.

Typing proponents don’t argue the cognitive value of handwriting; instead, they focus on the fact that the speed and efficiency of digital note-taking is more beneficial in certain learning environments. Typing allows for faster transcription of information, potentially enabling students to capture more content during lectures. While typing may decrease learning during note-taking, it allows the ability to organize, search, and edit easily, which may contribute to enhanced study strategies, making up for that initial learning decrease.

The Hybrid Approach

A hybrid approach that combines handwriting and typing may solve the problem. Son et al. (2020) explored the benefits of integrating both modalities in educational settings. The researchers found that students who used a combination of handwriting and typing exhibited improved conceptual understanding and knowledge retention compared to those exclusively using one method. This is where an iPad and Apple Pencil, or a tablet and stylus, may optimally combine the strengths of both methods. Using a stylus to “handwrite” notes could deepen the learning at the moment and digitize it to allow the option to manipulate it later for study purposes. Best of both worlds? Maybe.

As technology continues to evolve, examining its impact is our responsibility as educators and human beings. So, consider sharing this information with your students. As always, we persevere with our ultimate goal to maximize learning.

Please add your thoughts and extend the conversation below in the comments. Happy holidays and wishes for a bright new year.

References

Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797614524581

Mangen, A., Anda, L. G., & Oxborough, G. H. (2015). Handwriting versus Keyboard Writing: Effect on Word Recall. Journal of Writing Research, 7(2), 227–247.

Son, C., Sarkisian, A., & Daniel, D. B. (2020). The Pen and the Keyboard: The Long-Term Effectiveness of Handwriting and Computer Typing on Composition Writing Quality and Speed. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(2), 362–388.