As digital units progressively exchange pen and paper, taking notes by hand is changing into more and more unusual in faculties and universities. Utilizing a keyboard is advisable as a result of it is typically sooner than writing by hand. Nevertheless, the latter has been discovered to enhance spelling accuracy and reminiscence recall.
To seek out out if the method of forming letters by hand resulted in higher mind connectivity, researchers in Norway now investigated the underlying neural networks concerned in each modes of writing.
“We present that when writing by hand, mind connectivity patterns are way more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard,” mentioned Prof Audrey van der Meer, a mind researcher on the Norwegian College of Science and Expertise and co-author of the research printed in Frontiers in Psychology. “Such widespread mind connectivity is thought to be essential for reminiscence formation and for encoding new info and, due to this fact, is useful for studying.”
The pen is mightier than the (key)board
The researchers collected EEG information from 36 college college students who have been repeatedly prompted to both write or sort a phrase that appeared on a display screen. When writing, they used a digital pen to jot down in cursive instantly on a touchscreen. When typing they used a single finger to press keys on a keyboard. Excessive-density EEGs, which measure electrical exercise within the mind utilizing 256 small sensors sewn in a web and positioned over the top, have been recorded for 5 seconds for each immediate.
Connectivity of various mind areas elevated when members wrote by hand, however not after they typed.
Our findings recommend that visible and motion info obtained by way of exactly managed hand actions when utilizing a pen contribute extensively to the mind’s connectivity patterns that promote studying.”
Prof Audrey van der Meer, mind researcher on the Norwegian College of Science and Expertise
Motion for reminiscence
Though the members used digital pens for handwriting, the researchers mentioned that the outcomes are anticipated to be the identical when utilizing an actual pen on paper. “We have now proven that the variations in mind exercise are associated to the cautious forming of the letters when writing by hand whereas making extra use of the senses,” van der Meer defined. Since it’s the motion of the fingers carried out when forming letters that promotes mind connectivity, writing in print can be anticipated to have related advantages for studying as cursive writing.
Quite the opposite, the straightforward motion of hitting a key with the identical finger repeatedly is much less stimulating for the mind. “This additionally explains why kids who’ve realized to jot down and skim on a pill, can have problem differentiating between letters which are mirror photographs of one another, corresponding to ‘b’ and ‘d’. They actually have not felt with their our bodies what it seems like to supply these letters,” van der Meer mentioned.
A balancing act
Their findings exhibit the necessity to give college students the chance to make use of pens, reasonably than having them sort throughout class, the researchers mentioned. Tips to make sure that college students obtain at the very least a minimal of handwriting instruction could possibly be an sufficient step. For instance, cursive writing coaching has been re-implemented in lots of US states initially of the yr.
On the similar time, it is usually essential to maintain up with repeatedly growing technological advances, they cautioned. This contains consciousness of what means of writing presents extra benefits below which circumstances. “There’s some proof that college students be taught extra and keep in mind higher when taking handwritten lecture notes, whereas utilizing a pc with a keyboard could also be extra sensible when writing an extended textual content or essay,” van der Meer concluded.
Supply:
Journal reference:
van der Weel, F. R. & van der Meer, A., (2024) Handwriting however not typewriting results in widespread mind connectivity: a high-density EEG research with implications for the classroom. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945.
