During the height of Covid-19, many students across the country made the shift to digital notetaking for the convenience, accessibility and search and organization features.   

Though this shift in technology was necessary during the height of the pandemic, freshman Sana Oblumpally noticed that many of her peers have continued to discard their paper notebooks in favor of digital notetaking.  

“A lot of people in my classes use their computer for notes now because of how easy it is,” Oblumpally said. “I find it useful, but I just can’t retain the information that way.” 

Oblumpally said that while digital notetaking might be convenient, the physical act of handwriting notes engages multiple senses and cognitive processes that lead to better conceptual understanding. Research published by the National Library of Medicine has shown that writing notes by hand may help students process information more deeply rather than simply transcribing it. 

While some students believe that handwriting improves retention, teachers have also raised concerns about how digital notetaking affects students’ focus and accountability. 

Upper School English teacher Trey Colvin questions students’ integrity while working on their devices, finding that devices can make it difficult to ensure students are staying on task.   

“I am all in favor of digital notetaking. I think it’s a great tool,” Colvin said. “But I have concerns that students aren’t working when they say they are.”  

Many teachers worry that laptops provide easy access to distractions such as games, which can reduce productivity during class time.  

“It’s harder to tell if a student is engaged when they are staring at their computer,” Colvin said. 

With a growing number of online notetaking resources, students also have access to a wide range of tools, making it even more convenient to take notes online. 

Despite these concerns, many students still argue that the benefits of digital notetaking outweigh the concerns. With a growing number of online resources, students have access to tools that allow for easier organization, searching, and storage of notes. 

Freshman Ellen Mapes made the switch because of these organizational features. 

“I find it more useful because I can organize my notes in a way I couldn’t do in a notebook or folder,” said Mapes. “Everything is in one place so it’s harder to misplace things.” 

As technology continues to shape classrooms, students and teachers continue to navigate how it fits into learning.  

“Technology will continue changing, but how students and teachers use it will matter more than the tool itself,” said Colvin.