Despite the ever-increasing influence of technology in the classroom, more studies reveal it has limitations on long-term learning. Certainly, technology makes learning more accessible when distance learning or helping students with learning disorders close gaps, but some things are better done by hand, such as note taking. Research supports the claim that handwriting provides more effective learning outcomes than typing the same material. When taking notes, handwriting may be slower than typing, making it the superior method.

Benefits of Handwriting Notes‍

Yes, handwriting is slower than typing. Most people can type faster than they can write by hand, which saves time but also demonstrates the drawback– it's nothing but muscle memory. According to neuroscientists, typing barely activates the brain at all. Typing is nothing more than button pushing, but handwriting requires intensive recall and motor skills. To write a single letter, a student must visualize the letters and then control the hand to shape them on the paper. While this makes handwriting a slower process, that's a benefit. Slowing the brain down gives it the necessary time to process. Deep learning occurs by challenging the brain – reinforcing old pathways through repeated action or creating new pathways over time, such as the motor coordination, visual recall, and literacy comprehension required to form letters, write them into words, and organize those words into sentences. As a result, handwriting inherently leads to improved memory and sharpened critical thinking.

Benefits for Early Learners‍

Evidence also suggests that the youngest learners profit the most from handwriting while building and establishing other vital learning processes. Handwriting allows for nonlinear thinking, ease of grouping ideas, and identification of patterns. A stronger ability to transcribe and organize these complex ideas in writing translates that understanding into reading comprehension. By forcing the brain to slow down when handwriting, writers think more thoroughly about the meaning, reinforcing abstract thinking. Some evidence also suggests that learning cursive helps students with dyslexia.

Handwrite Notes, Don't Type‍

No one is advocating abandoning typing when it comes to long-form writing. But when it comes to new information, there are four major reasons why students should opt for taking notes by hand:

1. Stronger conceptual understanding – There's a common misconception that taking notes means writing every word. Because handwriting is slower for most people than typing, it forces people to assess the information for meaning, context, and importance, practicing concision, summarizing, and paraphrasing, which reinforces critical thinking and analysis about the topic. Handwriting also activates the part of the brain associated with working memory, which means the movement of the pen helps encode the information into long-term memory.

2. Color-coding – Anyone who's ever tried to change fonts or text color knows how tedious it is. Even with shortcuts, it takes time, and when material is coming rapidly, it creates opportunities to miss critical info. Using colored pens or highlighting text after it's written is a faster, smoother method for color coding.

3. Cornell Notes Method – In their rush, students often take terribly organized notes, which makes studying difficult later. They lose time searching out information, looking for terms they should have underlined or highlighted, or trying to identify listed information they should have bullet-pointed. Using the Cornell Notes simplifies, organizes, and streamlines the finding of information for later use. Students can divide their pages easily by handwriting, creating sections, headers, and symbols. An added benefit is they can also include sketches and diagrams.

4. Sketch Notes and Mind Maps – Visual learners need to see images of concepts to grasp them fully. Drawing a diagram or quick image using a word processor is difficult. Using visual elements to help organize information into maps, charts, and other diagrams helps to form connections between concepts or identity patterns and groupings.

Even if typing is inferior to handwriting in learning, technology doesn't have to be the enemy. Many tablets or convertible laptops have styluses and a writing-to-text feature that effectively converts handwriting into typed text. Handwriting challenges the brain, which improves comprehension and retention of material, and reinforces learning pathways of critical learning skills.

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