Are laptops hindering classroom learning?

I walk into class on Thursday and sit with my two friends. I pull out my notebook and pen. They already have their laptops and tablets on their desks. The professor starts talking and I start writing- going off of the powerpoint and what he is saying. My notes are organized, with dates, topic headings, and bullet points. I prefer to abbreviate and shorten sentences. Side notes of the professor's comments are included. Halfway through the class I look at my friends. One is on her tablet doing work for another class. The other is on his computer looking at Facebook and messaging one of his friends. I start paying attention to what they're doing. I notice that they are only typing down what is on the powerpoint. They do not seem to be paying attention to what he is saying.

Our CAS lab spent a long time today discussing the differences between handwriting and typing. We did an activity: send a text to somebody you care about. Next, get out a piece of paper and pen and write a note to someone you care about. What were the differences? Was one longer than the other? Was the content different? It was interesting to hear people's answers. I, for one, had written a longer and more thoughtful note on paper. 

The lab discussion and my experience in class got me thinking. How many students use laptops for note-taking in class? Is it better to handwrite notes or type them up? I did some research and looked at a few articles. A study done by two psychological scientists from UCLA showed interesting findings. Students were given a laptop or notebook and instructed to take notes on a lecture. A half hour later, they were tested for factual recall and conceptual learning. The results showed that laptops may indeed inhibit the learning process. Sure, students with laptops were able to take more copious notes, which can be beneficial when learning. However, they were also more prone to taking verbatim notes, which appeared to cancel out these benefits. Both groups memorized the same number of facts but the laptop users did significantly worse on the conceptual section.

The scientists did another experiment, this time giving the students a week before their exam. Those who took notes in longhand did significantly better than any other students. They took fewer notes overall, with less verbatim recording. They did better on both factual recall and conceptual learning. These results show that taking notes with paper and pen lead to higher quality learning. It is also beneficial for storing new learning for later study. Overall, longhand note taking leads to better academic performance.

So, for those of you who bring your laptop to class, you might want to rethink your decision. Are you really paying attention or just mindlessly transcribing whatever the professor says? Also, how much of your time is spent on Facebook or Twitter? Computers are not only a distraction in class, but they also hinder the learning process. Maybe it's time to go back to the old school methods of a notebook and pencil. Give it some thought, and happy note taking!

http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-using-pen-and-paper-not-laptops-boosts-memory-writing-notes-helps-recall-concepts-ability-268770

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/were-only-human/ink-on-paper-some-notes-on-note-taking.html