I have some feedback in response to Maddie Murphy’s article: Note taking should be brought into the 21st Century...
I believe that a large majority of the short days we live should be spent living in the moment. Living in the moment, squeezing all life has to give out of every second, every minute, every hour of the time. Living in the moment means being present in all circumstances whether sitting on the beach on a warm summer day or sitting in class on a cool spring day. I believe distractions, especially technological distractions cause people from not fully living in any moment.
Sitting in class in the 21st century, it is evident that the reliance on technology is high. Most of the computer usage in classes are less skewed towards typing notes and more towards checking emails, social media, sports stats, or doing a little online shopping. Some may call it multitasking however I recently read an article that suggested that multitasking is actually multi switching. Multitasking can result in a 40% loss in productivity. Technological note takers make be hearing the professor and looking at their computer screen doing other things but neither of these tasks will be truly productive because that information is not processing properly in the brain. The best way to learn is without distractions and with our minds focused on the current moment and on the current task. I think for most college students this could only be accomplished through reverting back to the old fashion pen and paper during lectures.
In a world where everything is digital and everything is online, I think it is important for us to unplug for some time even if it means for a 50 or 75 minute lecture. Universities have become so accustomed to life being wrapped in technology we can’t even be in class anymore without our computer. Whenever I look around a large lecture hall I would guess 5/10 people are actually taking notes and the rest are doing other things. I honestly think the other 5/10 people will be doing the same thing in a matter of minutes, they are just writing a few notes at the moment.
I am also guilty of checking my social media sites whenever I’m bored or I’ve already typed everything the professor is about to say on his current presentation slide. Instead of engaging in the material and in what the professor is teaching, I let myself get distracted by whatever is more important in that moment on my computer screen. I really think it is disheartening to think our world has become so dependent on technology we can’t imagine our lives without it. Even to the point of unplugging from the world of technology for a class period seems absurd.
In a perfect world where everyone is only taking notes on their laptops and not succumbing to any distractions, taking notes by hand still is a better option. Taking notes by hand and transferring them on to our trusty laptops is a great way to learn and review the material. To add, when typing notes, it is easy to mindlessly type everything the professor is saying. However, because writing notes take a lot longer than typing, it is important to listen carefully to catch the most important topics and details.
Distractions are the cause of missing the warm and cool breezes in life. In short, I believe professors would like the best for their students and in many ways that means enforcing a no screen rule in classrooms. Maybe the best option here is a mixture of the two- using a touch screen tablet and a stylus to write notes.
LaBreea Walsh is a junior majoring in community and non-profit leadership. What is your view on taking notes in class? Do you prefer digital, handwritten or a hybrid? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
