
Just one problem: Results including retention and test scores can vary wildly, especially for laptop users.Īccording to multiple studies, laptop users consistently perform worse when answering conceptual exam questions. #alt# Image of a table showing the difference between test scores of students who take notes on a laptop versus by hand. #caption# Studies show that students who take notes by hand have much higher test performance on conceptual questions than those who use laptops. On the surface, this approach to digital notetaking makes sense. After all, the number of learning and technological improvements provided to the educational process via digital tools can be staggering.īetween document storage tools like Dropbox and iCloud and real-time syncing with Google Drive and Microsoft OneNote, it’s easier than ever to use your preferred device to collect your notes and achieve results. About 88% of students say that they own a laptop, but only about 63% of them use it in class.
#Best digital notebooks software
You get to class, open the software of your choice (Microsoft Word or OneNote, Google Docs, Notepad, etc.), and you transcribe everything that the instructor says during the lecture. Digital notetaking improves learning - unless you’re using a laptopĪlmost every college student is familiar with digital notetaking via a laptop and a word processor. #alt# Image of a table showing laptop usage among students. #caption# Laptops have become common tools that students use to take notes in class. In fact, 94% of college students say that paper is still essential to helping them achieve their academic goals.īut do the benefits of technology and digital notetaking outweigh the benefits of longhand notes? Good question! If technology is practically a requirement in modern education, then asking students to rely on analog forms of self-development almost places them at a disadvantage.Īt the same time, the process of handwriting notes has some major psychological advantages that break away from the digital trend. In a world where smartphones, tablets, and laptops can make learning mobile and provide access to a wide variety of resources, students need technology just to keep up.īut what does any of that have to do with digital notetaking? If institutions and educators have started to rely more on digital technology solutions, it makes sense that students have also turned to computers and software to enhance their own learning experience. In fact, in a 2021 survey, 73% of US students said they want to continue taking online classes after the pandemic. Many colleges in the United States continue to invest in online learning or hybrid programs, which means that digital learning is likely here to stay. #alt# Image of a quote that says, “Despite the advantages tools offer, 94% of college students say that paper is still essential to helping them achieve their academic goals.” #caption# Studies show that college students rely heavily on paper notes.


Educators adopt technology tools at varying rates, often based on their comfort level and without a district-enforced plan. Other schools offered remote learning opportunities from the start, supplying students with tablets or Chromebooks to use at home.Īt the same time that technology has impacted education, research has also found that a teacher’s experience with technology in the classroom varies at a personal level. While many schools stayed open despite the pandemic, campus-based learning was suspended in schools where the virus had spread. The COVID-19 pandemic forced even more learning to take place in digital classrooms. You don’t have to go very far to find the incredible number of ways that modern technology has revolutionized education.įrom teachers co-opting kid-friendly games like Minecraft into their curriculum all the way to open-ended educational resources like Khan Academy, technology has already left its mark on the education system. #alt# Image of a teacher smiling while standing over a student looking at a tablet. #caption# Image: insta_photos / Adobe Stock Photo
