3 ms·

I feel the exact opposite. I hand-write very slowly, so having to focus on that instead of the material is literally a distraction, compared to just typing out

I feel the exact opposite. I hand-write very slowly, so having to focus on that instead of the material is literally a distraction, compared to just typing out my thoughts. The exception to this is if the focus of the learning is the writing in itself. Right now I'm learning kanji, so I need to draw them to focus on and memorize the shapes. That said, it doesn't have to be on paper. Dragging my finger on a tablet or moving a mouse are just as effective as using pen and paper.

baq 3mo ago
Slow is half the point though! Memory has a very limited bandwidth. The other half: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/345 https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/345 and a plethora of others.
- fluoridation 3mo ago
  >Handwriting activates a broader network of brain regions involved in motor, sensory, and cognitive processing. Typing engages fewer neural circuits, resulting in more passive cognitive engagement. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. If I'm focusing on what my hands are doing I'm focusing less on the material proper than I'm trying to digest.
  - baq 3mo ago
    The idea is that focus and actually working all of your hand instead of just fingers helps learning the material more efficiently even if your own perception of it does not agree.
    - fluoridation 3mo ago
      Maybe it works for some people, but it certainly doesn't for me. When I'm handwriting, especially in bulk, all I can think about it how much I hate it and how I can get it to end faster. I take fewer notes with more abbreviations that are later harder to decipher. It's different if it's something like mathematical expressions, because those are never easier to type, but just regular sentences? Absolutely not.
      - baq 3mo ago
        Interesting, I can see where you're coming from. Key detail is the notes are actually not supposed to be read later, just written down - the act of writing by hand helps to commit their content to memory.
        fluoridation 3mo ago
        I get what you mean, and have noticed that effect on my own too, but the increased recall doesn't supplant the note, it just indexes it. I might hear something and go "oh, I remember making a note about that; it was something about magnets", for example, but I still need the note for the specifics. I haven't noticed any difference between typing and handwriting, in that regard.

baq 3mo ago

Slow is half the point though! Memory has a very limited bandwidth. The other half: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/345 https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/3/345 and a plethora of others.

fluoridation 3mo ago
>Handwriting activates a broader network of brain regions involved in motor, sensory, and cognitive processing. Typing engages fewer neural circuits, resulting in more passive cognitive engagement. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. If I'm focusing on what my hands are doing I'm focusing less on the material proper than I'm trying to digest.
- baq 3mo ago
  The idea is that focus and actually working all of your hand instead of just fingers helps learning the material more efficiently even if your own perception of it does not agree.
  - fluoridation 3mo ago
    Maybe it works for some people, but it certainly doesn't for me. When I'm handwriting, especially in bulk, all I can think about it how much I hate it and how I can get it to end faster. I take fewer notes with more abbreviations that are later harder to decipher. It's different if it's something like mathematical expressions, because those are never easier to type, but just regular sentences? Absolutely not.
    - baq 3mo ago
      Interesting, I can see where you're coming from. Key detail is the notes are actually not supposed to be read later, just written down - the act of writing by hand helps to commit their content to memory.
      - fluoridation 3mo ago
        I get what you mean, and have noticed that effect on my own too, but the increased recall doesn't supplant the note, it just indexes it. I might hear something and go "oh, I remember making a note about that; it was something about magnets", for example, but I still need the note for the specifics. I haven't noticed any difference between typing and handwriting, in that regard.