A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
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A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
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Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#2(FYI -- article is from 2014 -- I was wondering why this was being studied again, when it seemed well established, both anecdotally and in literature).
Anytime I took notes by typing, I'd forget it seconds after finishing. But writing by hand forced me to think about what I was writing. The only thing that trumped that in cementing my understanding was actually having to explain what I learned to my classmates/peers.
I wonder how recall from writing compares to typing out flashcards (e.g. Anki) and then using spaced repetition techniques to memorize concepts.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#3What if I want to take notes but not contribute to deforestation and issues with the environmental impact of using paper in 2019?
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#4(FYI -- article is from 2014 -- I was wondering why this was being studied again, when it seemed well established, both anecdotally and in literature). Anytime I took notes by typing, I'd forget it seconds after finishing. But writing by hand forced me to think about what I was writing. The only thing that trumped that in cementing my understanding was actually having to explain what I learned to my classmates/peers.…
The only exception that I have found has been building mindmaps.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#5My issue with this has always been that my longhand is terrible, and writing under pressure makes it worse.
Longhand notes (which I do frequently for the RPGs I run, so practice isnt the issue) are nigh unreadable. I literally have dozens of notebooks (not full, but at least 30 - 50 pages each is pretty common ) of notes I struggle to read and organize.
Being able to write with speed and br able to read them is why an elementary school teacher recommended that I try using a computer to write on back before laptops were a thing, and it remains a big reason I rely on them for work notes now.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#6My issue with this has always been that my longhand is terrible, and writing under pressure makes it worse. Longhand notes (which I do frequently for the RPGs I run, so practice isnt the issue) are nigh unreadable. I literally have dozens of notebooks (not full, but at least 30 - 50 pages each is pretty common ) of notes I struggle to read and organize. Being able to write with speed and br able to read them is why a…
I wonder if adults can improve their handwriting.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#7What if I want to take notes but not contribute to deforestation and issues with the environmental impact of using paper in 2019?
iPad + their pen. It works unreasonably well.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#8I frequently still use notepads for notes, I find it actually helps me retain information.
Additionally, when reviewing shortly after a meeting, I find that I can better suss out the truly important action items. Especially if things need to be delegated.
This isn’t to say I never take notes on my computer. (Notepad++ is wonderful for this), but I find the physical note taking to be incredibly beneficial for organization of information.
Additionally, there may still be a certain social impact where people feel that you’re “paying attention” when taking notes on a physical pad, vs they feel they’ve “lost your attention” the second you start to type away on a device.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#9What if I want to take notes but not contribute to deforestation and issues with the environmental impact of using paper in 2019?
Is the environmental cost to produce and run your electronic device over its lifetime less than the "cost" to use paper over that same amount of time? Honest question; I don't know the answer.
Re: A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop (2014)
#10(FYI -- article is from 2014 -- I was wondering why this was being studied again, when it seemed well established, both anecdotally and in literature). Anytime I took notes by typing, I'd forget it seconds after finishing. But writing by hand forced me to think about what I was writing. The only thing that trumped that in cementing my understanding was actually having to explain what I learned to my classmates/peers.…
The kinds of questions I ask when writing flashcards: How can I split this info up into different facts? What facts do I care about / will I care about?
But I think I wouldn't make flashcards for something if I understood it. I've found practicing recall with flashcards highlights what I don't understand. e.g. sometimes I've been confused between similar cards, and it's not obvious when looking at the cards the similarities/differences.
I think this complements rather than replaces things like the manually writing notes or explaining concepts.