The vast majority of students rely on laptops – and increasingly AI – to help with their university work. But a small number are going analogue and eschewing tech almost entirely in a bid to re-engage their brains
The vast majority of students rely on laptops – and increasingly AI – to help with their university work. But a small number are going analogue and eschewing tech almost entirely in a bid to re-engage their brains
I did that in uni, too. Everyone brought their laptops to the lectures while I took notes on paper. Writing by hand makes your brain absorb the information better I think
Not just what you think. Hand writing is scientifically better for memory retention and more https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11943480/
It’s undeniably better for memorization. But I think it has diminishing returns for comprehension.
Perhaps it’s just my learning style. I found paying full attention to lectures instead of splitting my attention between dictating and listening, allowed me to absorb more of the material than if I went back to look at notes.
Further, my career best final exam score was 99% on a biology final. I literally re-wrote my study notes out 7 times during the week prior. When I got the test back the following week I couldn’t recall any of the information I had memorized.
Same for me. Also I sat in front, becouse in the back I would be disturbed by all the not-lecture related stuff people had open on their laptops.
It does. I vastly prefer writing notes by hand than typing em. But my handwriting sucks when I have to write quickly, and I also don’t like lugging around giant stacks of paper. And so I settled on a digital writing pad, and just do the work to type my notes later. Acts as revision too.
Which hardware/OS?
Back in university, it was an iPad mini 5, using Notability. Notability has enshittified badly though.
These days (I’m no longer in university so I do write a lot less), I write on a Kobo.
I thought kobo only had readers, TIL.
It does, but in my experience, it’s way worse for recollection.
Electronic devices are superior when it comes to storing and organizing data, which makes it a better tool if you prefer to use active recall as a memorisation method.
I had literal books worth of notes until switching to a tablet (a stylus keeps the benefits of writing, btw). And going over them when preparing for exams was an absolute nightmare.