Today we have digital writing tools available literally at our fingertips all day long. Whether it is writing on our phones or on our laptop keyboards, we spend very little time actually using a pen and paper. I know there are exceptions, as some of you systematically make handwritten notes; for you I would claim that you have a great advantage. In this text I will outline some research-based reasons why you all should practice your handwriting skills.
Many studies have been conducted that look into the effect of handwriting on learning processes. They almost always conclude that for learning and memory, handwriting far outperforms digital typing. Professor Audrey van der Meer at NTNU has conducted several studies on students, measuring brainwave activity while writing by hand and while typing. The results are clear: the brain is much more active while writing by hand than when typing (Why Writing by Hand Makes Kids Smarter, n.d.).
«The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain. A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning. We both learn better and remember better.»
Writing by Hand (2024)
Ann Elisabeth Stevens ©
1. Studies show you learn and remember better when writing by hand
2. It stimulates deeper thinking and more creativity
3. Studies have also shown that handwriting can lower stress
4. There are no YouTube videos, memes, or TikToks in your notebook – fewer distractions
5. The IB exams are old-fashioned and you have to write them using pen and paper
Norwegian University of Science and Technology. (2020, October 1). Why writing by hand makes kids smarter. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 26, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com
Arne Mjelde Sæther
47 69 59 80
arnemjeldesaether@gmail.com
Arne Mjelde Sæther
47 69 59 80
arnemjeldesaether@gmail.com
Arne Mjelde Sæther
47 69 59 80
arnemjeldesaether@gmail.com