I recently heard some radio show about how taking class notes on paper
yields better results than the digital alternative. It makes sense, since the
paper based process is slower, requiring more interpretation to record.
Ref....
Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away
But I always hated taking notes. It's hectic & it interferes with paying attention,
especially when the instructor gets ahead of what's being written. And why do it?
The instructor knows in advance what the material is, so it should be provided
in written form. If a lecture is worth attending, it should be easy to listen to & absorb.
I found better ways...
1) For a kinematics course, the prof wrote the material on transparencies projected
overhead. I took no notes, & just listened in class. But afterward, the prof let me
Xerox his transparencies. Btw, the class had no textbook.
Lo! I had notes! This unfair advantage over classmates let me ace the course.
Was this cheating? Gawd, I like to think so.
2) Keep note taking to a minimum....
- Topics to look into further.
- Thoughts about the material covered.
3) If the material is so standard & straightforward that the lecture adds nothing
over & above reading textbooks, save time by skipping class. That works for
subjects like thermodynamics, but not for evolving or arcane fields, eg, tribology.
Who else hates notes?
Any other good ideas about learning material with greater ease?
yields better results than the digital alternative. It makes sense, since the
paper based process is slower, requiring more interpretation to record.
Ref....
Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away
But I always hated taking notes. It's hectic & it interferes with paying attention,
especially when the instructor gets ahead of what's being written. And why do it?
The instructor knows in advance what the material is, so it should be provided
in written form. If a lecture is worth attending, it should be easy to listen to & absorb.
I found better ways...
1) For a kinematics course, the prof wrote the material on transparencies projected
overhead. I took no notes, & just listened in class. But afterward, the prof let me
Xerox his transparencies. Btw, the class had no textbook.
Lo! I had notes! This unfair advantage over classmates let me ace the course.
Was this cheating? Gawd, I like to think so.
2) Keep note taking to a minimum....
- Topics to look into further.
- Thoughts about the material covered.
3) If the material is so standard & straightforward that the lecture adds nothing
over & above reading textbooks, save time by skipping class. That works for
subjects like thermodynamics, but not for evolving or arcane fields, eg, tribology.
Who else hates notes?
Any other good ideas about learning material with greater ease?
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