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Tutoring

Laptop Notes Vs. Handwritten Notes: What’s Better for Learners?

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Walk into almost any college classroom today, and you will find students taking notes on laptops and tablets. While these devices are smaller with more storage capacity than ever before and are generally faster in taking notes, research shows that handwritten notes are still better. So if you want to remember critical data that you have read or heard, then grab a pencil or an ink pen and some notebooks.

Forces Idea Summaries

While it is relatively easy to type most words that a teacher may say, most people cannot write as fast as they can type. Therefore, they must listen for the main ideas and write summaries of what the teacher is saying. This requires a person to process the information at a deeper level leading to a better level of retention.

Conceptual Application

Researchers have found that even when students with laptops were warned not to write things down verbatim, they did so anyway. College America says that writing your notes by hand is better than using a laptop because it forces users to draw their own hypotheses as they listen to the information. Therefore, those who used laptops performed worse as a group on test questions requiring students to draw conclusions from the information.

Fewer Distractions

Researchers believe that while students may doodle on the edge of their notes while listening, they actually stay more engaged with the material than those using electronic devices. On the other hand, it is far easier (and tempting) when using a laptop or tablet to tap over to your favorite social media or your favorite game. In fact, researchers found that students taking handwritten notes have better short-and-long-term recall of material.

Impacts Different Parts of the Brain

The researchers believe that information that is handwritten may be stored differently in the brain than that which is typed on a keyboard. The most substantial difference came when students were asked to recall information from a list, chart or a graph. Those who had hand-drawn the chart or graph remembered the info substantially better than those using an electronic device. Effectivology explains, “one experiment on word recall and recognition showed that people remember lists of vocabulary words better when they write them by hand compared to when they type them on a computer.” They believe that the difference comes from the different part of the brain required to visualize and draw the information.

If you want to raise your GPA or simply recall information better, research clearly shows that you need to put away the electronics. Instead, create handwritten notes that will help you recall the most important details. Then, show others who want to laugh at you for being old-fashioned the results when it comes time to take a test.

 

4 Study Tips to Become a Successful Student

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Whether you’re a prospective student or well into graduate school, knowing how to study is an important skill that you can improve on at any time. If you’ve been struggling to maintain your grades or feel like you’re burning out instead of making progress, it may be time to assess your study habits and implement changes.

Time Management

While some of us may get lucky cramming before exams, it’s much more fruitful to manage our time effectively. If you know you have an important test or research project to study for, don’t put your work off until the last minute.

Create a set schedule that you can be consistent with and allow yourself breaks so you don’t get overwhelmed. If you find it difficult to focus for long periods, consider sectioning your study time into thirty-minute chunks with short breaks in-between.

Limit Distractions

It may be tempting to listen to music or the hum of a television while you’re studying, but such background noise can be distracting, particularly if you’re prone to procrastinating.

The Internet can also be a very distracting time warp that saps your concentration. So when studying, limit technology and try to seek a quiet, cozy atmosphere. If you insist on playing music, opt for instrumentals and orchestrated pieces rather than songs with lyrics.

Test Yourself

We’ve all been in situations where a teacher springs a surprise test on us to check our absorption of the material. The benefit of doing this at home is you don’t have to have an anxiety attack.

Once you’ve read an important selection or think you understand the basics of a formula, go ahead and test yourself. Test your reading comprehension of books and passages. If you’re studying a language or unfamiliar terms, see if you can write down the definitions and translations without looking them up. Testing yourself will give you the confidence you need to overcome exam jitters and be successful.

Take Copious Notes

Some instructors forgo lengthy textbook readings and refer most to lectures. When your teacher is speaking, make sure you not only listen but write down as much content as possible. Identify the important facts and transcribe them so that you have a reliable source to study from. Make an effort to jot down dates, names, formulas, and definitions. Keep your notes simple and follow what works for you.

As long as you keep your mind open to learning something new, it’s possible to make studying more effective. Remember that everyone learns a bit differently and at a different pace, so don’t compare your methods to others. Find what works for you and be consistent.

For more helpful tips about being a great student, check out more posts here!

 

Featured image courtesy of CollegeAmerica

Tutoring in the United Kingdom: Tutoring Secrets for Parents and Tutors with Dawn Strahan

By | The Tutor Outreach Radio Show, Tutoring, Tutoring Industry News | No Comments

Are you interested in expanding your tutoring business to the United Kingdom? Are you a parent looking for quality UK Tutors? Are you a private tutor or business owner wondering about the curriculum for your tutoring practice? Come Join Special Guest, Dawn Strahan, UK’s Tutor Busines Coach and Owner of STAAR Tutoring and Dr. Alise as she gives us the inside scoop on tutoring in the UK. This is an episode that you don’t want to miss.

 

Beyond Tutoring Sessions: Guiding Families to Building Spheres of Learning with Arziki Phenyo

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Ms. Phenyo, the director of The Stimulus Effect, will discuss how families and community organizations can help in reinforcing academic principles and concepts; expanding knowledge; creating and capitalizing on “teachable moment”; and, ultimately, promoting achievement outside the classroom. Additionally, free and low-cost options, across communities, of which families can take advantage along with ways tutoring organizations can coordinate with community partners–toward expanding the boundaries of learning environments, and mutually raising enrollments–will be explored. Ms. Phenyo will also share examples of how The Stimulus Effect has effectively promoted “spheres of learning” across grade levels.

 

Tutoring in the Clouds: Starting an Online Reading Tutoring Business with Joanne Kaminski

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Do you want to know the latest trend in the online tutoring market? Are you interested in tutoring online or starting an online tutoring business? This is the episode for you. Join Dr. Alise and Special Guest, Joanne Kaminski, Online Tutor Business Coach and Online Reading Tutor, as she gives us secrets about the online tutoring market, and gain some pearls of wisdom and intuitive insights to help you on your tutoring journey.

 

 

Learning After the Bell: Why After-School Programs are Key in the 21st Century? with Dr. Charice Hayes

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Do you wonder why after-school programs are key in the 21st Century? Did you know that after-school programs are still in high demand for school-aged children? Join Dr. Alise and her special guest, CEO and Founder of ALL 4 One Tutoring, Dr. Charice Hayes, as she shares more about the benefits of after-school programs that cater to the whole child, what to look for in after-school programs, and gain some pearls of wisdom and intuitive insights to help you on your tutoring journey.

In-Home Tutoring Vs. Online Tutoring: Which One is Best for Your Child? with Dr. Makeba Butler

By | The Tutor Outreach Radio Show, Tutor Business Owners, Tutoring, Tutoring Industry News | No Comments

Are you looking to get a tutor for your child? Are you a tutor business owner who is looking to expand your tutoring offerings? Join Dr. Alise and her special guest, CEO and Founder of Elite Minds Tutoring and She Mogul Enterprises, Dr. Makeba Butler, as she shares more about the benefits of both in-home tutoring and online tutoring, what to ask tutor business owners when looking for tutoring, and gain some pearls of wisdom and intuitive insights to help you on your tutoring journey.

Strategic Planning to Diversify Your Income

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You owe it to yourself to take the time out to plan your future according to who you are and why you are here. How do you want to show up to the World? If you are interested in diversifying your income, then let us know and we can help you. Contact us at support@thetutoroutreach.com

Effective Tutoring Sessions: The Blue Print with Dr. Alise

By | The Tutor Outreach Radio Show, Tutoring, Tutoring Industry News | One Comment

Do you wonder what goes into an effective tutoring session? If so, join me on the next The Tutor Outreach Radio Show. Learn why tutoring is in demand, explore the Dr. Holland-Johnson’s Tutoring Framework for Effective Tutoring, and gain some pearls of wisdom and intuitive insights to help you on your tutoring journey.