OLD SCHOOL versus NEW SCHOOL
Handwritten notes may seem ‘old fashioned’ in today’s educational facilities compared to typing or using other digital technology to transcribe recorded class notes. However, research continues to point out that the process of taking notes the traditional way—with pen and paper or even stylus and tablet—is still the best way to learn, especially for young children.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology investigated how digital devices have been progressively replacing traditional handwriting and evaluated the implications for the human brain.
Previous research suggested that when typing notes on a computer keyboard, ” It goes in through your ears and comes out through your fingertips, but you don’t process the incoming information.” When you take notes by hand, you need to be selective and prioritize, consolidate and relate it to previously learned facts. We consciously build onto known concepts and add new concepts.
The Study
Brain electrical activity was recorded in 36 university students as they were handwriting visually presented words using a digital pen and typewriting the words on a keyboard. Connectivity analyses were performed on EEG data recorded with a 256-channel sensor array.
When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard, as shown by widespread theta/alpha connectivity coherence patterns between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central brain regions. Existing literature indicates that connectivity patterns in these brain areas and at such frequencies are crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, are beneficial for learning.
Results
Study findings suggest that the spatiotemporal pattern from visual and proprioceptive information obtained through the precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen, contribute extensively to the brain’s connectivity patterns that promote learning. It appears that the movements related to typewriting do not activate these connectivity networks the same way that handwriting does. Researchers urge that children, from an early age, need to be exposed to handwriting activities in school to establish the neuronal connectivity patterns that provide the brain with optimal conditions for learning. Although it is vital to maintain handwriting practice at school, it is also important to keep up with continuously developing technological advances. Therefore, both teachers and students should be aware of which practice has the best learning effect in what context, for example when taking lecture notes or when writing an essay.
Post-research Commentary
In a Scientific American interview with Dr Sophia Vinci-Booher, an assistant professor of educational neuroscience at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the new study, says these findings are exciting and consistent with past research. It does not mean that technology is a disadvantage in the classroom. Laptops, smartphones and other such devices can be more efficient for writing essays or conducting research and can offer more equitable access to educational resources. The problem is that difficulties can occur when people rely on technology too much. People are increasingly delegating thought processes to digital devices, an act called “cognitive offloading” which is using smartphones to remember tasks, such as taking a photo instead of memorizing information or depending on GPS to navigate. While it may be helpful and easier, the constant offloading means it’s less work for the brain. If we’re not actively using these areas, they may deteriorate over time, whether it’s memory or motor skills.
Van der Weel FR and Van der Meer ALH (2024) Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom. Front. Psychol. 14:1219945. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945