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Newsletter for April/May 2016 June 17, 2016 |
2016, April/MayNew ideas ~ A good book ~ And, writing appetizersHandwriting: Possibly the Best Learning ToolIt's the end of the school year, but I couldn’t help writing about new research supporting handwriting notes (as opposed to typing) for improved learning.According to the article(1), researchers report that students who handwrite notes tend to remember and know the course material better and for a longer period of time than students who type their notes on a computer. When people handwrite notes they may write fewer words, however, the researchers said students thought about and digested those words and the presented material more thoroughly than students who type notes. Perhaps I’m dating myself, but when I first started college no one in any of my classes typed notes on a laptop computer. We had to use paper, a pencil or pen, and handwrite notes. I also handwrote notes in my master’s degree courses. Computers at the time were still a bit pricey. I had one at home, but not one to carry with me…and come to think of it, no one in my class took notes on a laptop back then either. However, ten years later when I began my PhD, I typed notes for the first few years. Then, I switched to back to handwriting. Why? Because, I tended to type what the professor said and some student discussion almost as if I was a transcriptionist. Being a new PhD student, I wanted to make sure I could go back and look up anything from class … As I grew in my learning, though, I stopped using my laptop and took handwritten notes. At that point, I was in advanced courses that built upon previous concepts. I understood the material better and just didn’t need the crutch of my notes for every little thing. It was a sign of growth. When I think about my experiences and personal preferences, I still prefer handwriting to typing notes, especially when writing personal notes. Handwriting is personal – no one writes like you. Nor will anyone ever. Your handwritten note is the gift you give someone. It’s your heart on paper. Typing is great. It looks professional. But, when it comes to personalization--and perhaps learning, nothing beats handwriting. All the best, Serena (1) Hotz, R. L. (2016, April 5). The power of handwriting. The Wall Street Journal, D1-D2. Book Recommendation:
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