Virtual classes have become the new norm during the global pandemic. Teachers have had difficulties getting their lessons to students through a computer screen, and students have struggled to pay attention during their classes. However, when students are told to copy down notes, many of them feel more engaged with the class and their school work. The real question is, what kind of notes are better: handwritten or typed? Some teachers say they prefer their students to handwrite their notes, whereas other teachers believe that their students can take notes however they want.

Many students are used to taking notes with the classic pen and paper, but this method isn’t exactly ideal for all learners. There are plenty of different note-taking methods and nobody has the exact same notes as another person. The way people prefer to take their notes is just like how they prefer to study for a test or quiz; do they use flashcards, do they study their notes, do they create their own study guide using online apps and platforms? Note-taking is important, but not everyone enjoys having to write until their hand cramps up. With school being virtual this year, many opportunities have opened up for students who already preferred having their work digitally on their computers. Lots of schools are providing laptops for their students (including Abington soon) so some students may find it more convenient to keep their notes on those devices. With typed notes, you may feel limited with regards to the layout but when you take handwritten notes, there are endless possibilities for formatting because you are able to write them however you would like to.

Although there are studies out there that can prove handwritten notes are more beneficial to actually remember information, typing notes can also be helpful when it comes to keeping up with your teacher’s pace since it doesn’t take as long to type as it does to write. Personally, I prefer to handwrite notes because then when I go to study for a test or quiz, I am able to rewrite important details on flashcards, which helps me memorize what I need to know. I also like to take handwritten notes because if I am taking notes on a Google Doc or any other word processing platform, I get easily distracted by the internet. Overall, it is down to personal preference on whether or not handwritten notes are better than typed notes or vice versa. The next time you take notes for a class, how about you try a new method and see how you like it!