Laptop vs Paper

[PaulBaxter]

There's been a fair amount of research done now on effective learning techniques. Here's a nice article on whether laptops or paper are better for note taking:

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/4/5776804/note-taking-by-hand-versus-laptop

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

What I do is take the notes by hand and then type them into quizlet on my ipad and study from that. I think I remember better when I write to start, then I get the extra reinforcement typing it into quizlet. Hasn't let me down so far.

[Shinnichi, ADN, RN]

Yes, there is. (My husband is so anti-Apple, so I'm acquainted with many of them. )

There's Evernote (https://evernote.com/) which I haven't really used, by my husband has and said it's okay. There's OneNote from Microsoft which I really like because it's awesome for my Surface Pro and Android phone (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/onenote/). It links to my tablet, computer, phone, and email. And then there are the plethora of apps available on Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/search?q=note%20taking&c=apps).

As for me, I'm left-handed and generally a slow writer, so I've had trouble taking notes by hand for years now. I usually have to record lectures, and I would always type up my study guides and take advantage of the highlighters in Word to pop-out the material. (I had issues with my physical highlighters bleeding through my note pages.)

My husband actually bought me the Surface Pro 2 for school in order to record my lectures and use One Note and Word for my note taking. The great thing about it is that I can use the stylus to write if needed, and my hand can drag along the tablet without marks or going crazy!! (Something only lefties will understand, having smudged pages or dirty hands.) He also reasoned that I could use e-books and avoid the strain of carrying heavy texts. Ironically, I loathe using e-books and have to have the physical copy in front of me!

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

I would read the chapter. Then I used my laptop but mainly to play Plants vs Zombies during lecture. I am kind of strange and I asked for powerpoints to be posted online. Then I would go to the classroom and listen to the lecture while I play a mind numbing game. I would answer questions though so the instructors knew I paid attention. I did it for paramedic school too and I was one of the top students there. Then I would go home and study the powerpoints and pull the information from my brain to relate to the powerpoints. Then I read the chapter again.

I didn't take notes really but I could relate info from the lecture to the notes to the book.

I did surprise my teacher one day because I sat up in the front usually except for one day when I must have either knocked the power cord loose or the computer broke. It turned on but then it went black. So I ran to the back of the room.

[DosmoRN]

Episteme must be about my age, since recording lecrtures on a small cassette recorder was about as high-tech as anybody could get. I learned to be a fast notetaker and printed everything as I would in nurses notes notes. It made me concentrate, first on the lecture and second, on condensing information to make the most important concepts more memorable. My microbiology notes, and many A&P notes, were full of diagrams copied from the blackboard in the classrooms. This took a little longer, but by the time I, and fellow students, had had numerous explanations from the instructor, it became quite clear. But I still had to add a few notes. (And, of course textbooks had good diagrams too).

I never cared much for slide shows or other visuals in the classroom, because I couldn't take notes in the dark. If it was a actual live demonstation, that was GOOD!

I don't think our instructors tried too hard to guide how we studied. It was up to US to learn by whatever methods produced the best results. Individuals differ in the ways they learn best. If a particular concept was confusing to some, we might form a small spontaneous group to discuss it until those who had trouble could finally understand and explain it to the rest of us who were quicker to get it. This was not "contrived" or "graded" by instructers who probably wouldn't have found our zany memory tactics as entertaining as we did. But in those days, I seldom felt it was the instructors "responsibility" to teach, as much as it was mine to learn. (especially true in the "hard" sciences) for there were plenty of resources. Studies aside, I'm not sure "flipping the classroom" would have produced any better results.

Learning clinical skills was different. I considered nursing instuctors the true "experts", as indeed they were. I watched and listened intently, trying to imitate everything they did. Nursing textbooks were helpful. Notes were never enough. ( In some cases, neither was imitation :))

Everything you learn in nursing education is valuable. You appreciate it all when you actually take full responsibility for patients.

And this is only the beginning, because almost every day of your career, there is something new to be learned.

[PaulBaxter]

So - if your keyboarding skills are top-notch... it's just as easy as handwriting... the tool itself does not really make a difference. But if it is harder for you to type than use a pencil, that adds more 'cognitive load' and may really interfere with your ability to process/retain the information.

Educators who are well-versed in the neuro-biology of learning actually try to eliminate the need for students to take notes. Instead, we provide a lot of support materials (notes, slides, references) and use class time for mental exploration and discussion of the material. This is called 'flipping the classroom'. We have a ton of evidence that this produces much better results, but it also requires better preparation... in terms of educator competence as well as student engagement.

I'm not sure I agree with you here.

I'm heavily influenced by the work of James Asher who developed the Total Physical Response method of foreign language teaching. Asher showed that students were able to learn and retain new language considerably faster when the learning was combined with physical activity. Particularly, he developed a curriculum for language teaching based entirely on commands that students would literally act out.

The fact that some people are able to write more easily with a keyboard doesn't strike me as making it more effective as a learning tool. I would think it might make it less effective. The more involved you are physically in the learning process, the better the retention.

Of course there are other factors, such as repetition over intervals and reducing distractions and other stresses, which also have a big impact on learning as well.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

I remember things better writing them out. I can just mindlessly type and not pay attention to what I am typing. Hand writing my notes helps me tremendously.

[txnurstud, CNA]

Good day, PaulBaxter:

My compromise is to use an iPad and the app, GoodNotes where I can take handwritten notes using a stylus. GoodNotes allows me to annotate PDF files and PowerPoints as well as bring in images from the web and other sources. For me, this is a very portable hybrid between pen and paper and a laptop.

Thank you.

Hi pmabraham, can you provide the exact name is the app for GoodNotes. I found GoodNotes 4 (price: $5.99) or Notate for Good Technology (price: free)?

Thank you!

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Good day, txnurstud:

It is GoodNotes 4.2.1

Thank you.

[txnurstud, CNA]

Good day, txnurstud:

It is GoodNotes 4.2.1

Thank you.

Thank you!!! I am typically a paper person but I am seeking to switch to technology. I was recently accepted into nursing school and I would love to read and highlight, take notes on textbook pages/PowerPoint all on my iPad. I was considering a Mac Netbook but the iPad Mini has served me well so far.

I will go purchase a iPad stylus to complete the GoodNotes 4.2.1 purchase. Thanks again for your recommendation! ?

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

Makes sense to me. I've taken notes both on a laptop and by hand and I've found that notes by hand, I am able to retain the information a lot longer. It's entirely subjective, though.

[7237dallas]

I have Goodnotes and Notability on my Ipad. I like them both, but just discovered a way to import pictures into my power points and whiteout the labels on the pictures so I can relabel them myself. I've purchased several styli and none of them come close to making my handwriting neat so I still take notes by hand.

[PaulBaxter]

Here's another article with yet more research findings.

Better sharpen your pencils:

A Learning Secret: Don't Take Notes with a Laptop - Scientific American