Writing by hand would be beneficial for memory and learning, according to a study which invites students to favor notebooks and pens rather than computers.
- Writing by hand stimulates brain connectivity, i.e. neural networks, which promotes learning and memory.
- On the other hand, when you write on a computer the connectivity between different regions of the brain does not increase.
- So it would be better to write by hand to memorize and learn.
Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly rare to write by hand. However, it would be better for the brain! According to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychologywriting in handwriting would be beneficial for memory.
Writing by hand boosts memory and learning
“We show that when we write by hand, the brain connectivity models (i.e. neural networks, editor’s note) are much more elaborate than when we write on a keyboard, explains Professor Audrey van der Meer, author of the study, in a communicated. Such brain connectivity is important for memory formation and for recording new information. So it’s beneficial for learning.”
To measure the impact of handwriting on the brain, researchers studied the brain connectivity of thirty-six students at the University. The experiment consisted of analyzing their brain electrical activity, via recordings called electroencephalography (EEG). These were carried out while the volunteers typed on a keyboard or wrote by hand (with a digital pen, but which does not distort the results according to the authors) a word which appeared on a screen.
Thus, connectivity between different brain regions increased when participants wrote by hand, but not when they typed on a keyboard.
“Visual information [obtenues grâce au mouvement des mains, qui est contrôlé] accurately when using a pen, contribute to increased brain connectivity that promotes learning“, continues the expert.
Brain: longer learning with a keyboard
On the other hand, when a person types on a keyboard, the result is not the same. Learning is not as effective. “This also explains why children who learned to write and read on a tablet may have difficulty telling the difference between [certaines lettres qui se ressemblent] like “b” and “d””, indicates Professor Audrey van der Meer.
According to the authors, students should therefore be encouraged to write more by hand during their lessons. “Students learn more and remember better when taking handwritten notes, but using a computer with a keyboard can be more convenient when writing a long text or essay“, concludes the scientist.
