With the advancement of technology, the heated discussion concerning the use of technology in the classroom, especially in note taking, is never forgotten. Traced back to the time when people used their pen and notebook, it would be hard for them to imagine students sitting in a classroom and typing on their computers. That is the reality today. It becomes harder for the teachers to forbid students from using electronic devices since they rely on their laptop to take the notes. It is worth discussing whether it is more helpful taking notes on paper or using electronic devices.

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There is one obvious reason why people start to use electronic devices for taking notes in class. The convenience brought by electronic devices is attractive since people do not need to carry different notebooks, pens, or pencils around. Instead, they can just bring one laptop, and that’s it. Also, people can save their notes on websites like Google Drive so that they can have access to their notes whenever they have access to a computer, which is nearly all the time. It is essential to save the notes in a place which is safe and secured. Besides, by taking notes on a laptop, people can take notes faster than they usually do when they are taking notes in the traditional way so that they can pay more attention to the real conversation instead of struggling to write everything down and failing to understand the content.

 

More importantly, since handwriting can be hard to identify, notes are easily misunderstood when people look back at their old notes. However, if people just type in their digital devices, the problem caused by misunderstanding will be avoided. Furthermore, thanks to the invention of the internet, it is a lot easier for people to search for a certain piece they do not understand, or some terms they are not familiar with. By searching on the internet, people are able to enhance the understanding of the class as well as the lecture.

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Despite all the good things about the use of technology, people holding different opinions about using technology in class still exist. The other side argues that the electronic devices are distracting, and it will increase teacher’s workload if they need to guess what people are doing behind the screen. Are students really paying attention, or are they wasting their time doing nothing? Also, there are a lot of old-fashioned people who prefer using the traditional way, which is writing with an actual pen on a physical piece of paper. Are they too slow for this society? Let’s see their reasons for supporting the conventional paper-based notes taking first.

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One thing is certain for people who take notes in a traditional way: They usually remember the things better when they write them, instead of simply typing. Secondly, handwriting keeps people busy during class time so that people can be engaged in the class which is beneficial for their studying process.

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Last but not the least, the process of taking notes on paper requires people’s organizational skills. It is essential to have an organized note for review, so it is both a challenge, and a chance to enhance the organizational skills.

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The question about which is the best way of taking notes in class is never a yes or no, black or white, or yes or the wrong question. The most suitable way can be different for various people. And the analysis of the pros and cons of both using electronic devices or paper can provide people with some information they want to know and also for them to discover which is more efficient.