As we become more and more dependent on computers in school (and in life) we tend to pick up a pen and paper less and less. What we may not realize is what we are losing by doing so.
I remember always being told to write things down when studying for a test because it would make it easier to remember in the end. Whenever I had a spelling test I wouldn't just sit there and spell the letters in my head or even say them aloud- I would instead write them on paper. If I didn't spell a word right my mom always made me write the word down ten times. It turned out that doing so really seared the spelling into my brain and helped me spell the word right on the test.
As you can see from my personal experience, the idea that writing something down helps you better recall it later proved true. I would like to know if there is any hard evidence or studies done that proves this concept.
It turns out there is. Anne Mangen of the University of Stavanger in Norway and Jean-Luv Velay, a French neuroscientist, found that writing by hand is a totally different experience than typing on a computer. According to their research, learning new letters (whether it be a child learning the alphabet or an adult learning a second language) is easier when the letters are written down, by hand, on paper. (Sorry, Rosetta Stone.) Apparently, the physical act alone of holding a pencil between your fingers sends signals to the brain which enables your "motor memory", and helps you later recall what you wrote down. This is different than the act of typing a key, because it is the same motion whether you are typing a "h" or a "z", and so on.
Maybe we should all consider ditching the computer and taking those history notes by hand. It might take longer and require more effort, but those hand cramps may be worth it in the long run.
Have y'all noticed that writing something down has helped you remember it? Would you consider switching from typing notes to handwriting them?
I do believe the writing something down or highlighting something helps you memorize something. But I personally don't see the difference on writing it by hand or typing it. I think that the point of writing something down is that you are forced to put your attention on it appose to just reading it and not actually noticing it. For me typing does that same thing. It forces me to have the attention to what I am doing.
ReplyDeleteI, too, see the importance of writing things down. That's usually how I study for tests and stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to try to hand-write my notes in college, but we'll see how things go. I miss the good ol' days of ninth grade when all my notes were hand-written.
I also see writing things down as being a crucial step for later recall. That has definitely helped me in the past and I usually handwrite all my notes. The psychology and science behind writing things down as opposed to typed notes is very interesting. However, is it known what the signals are/how the brain interprets them?
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