High schools in Denmark promote handwritten notes to improve memory retention

The focus is shifting back to teaching as high schools and vocational schools increasingly encourage students to turn off their computer and mobile screens during school hours. Some institutions are even taking it a step further by asking students to take handwritten notes. Although we are in 2024, this is still viewed as an excellent idea by educational consultant Dorte Ågård, whose research has informed the new screen-use recommendations released by the Ministry of Education last December.

Typing activates fewer areas of the brain compared to handwriting, Ågård explains: “The more sensory experiences and body parts involved in an activity, the deeper the impression it leaves and the better one remembers it.” This finding is supported by various studies, including research from Japan.

In a 2021 Japanese study, participants had electrodes attached to their scalps while taking notes during a presentation. They were divided into three groups: those taking handwritten notes, those typing on mobile devices, and those using a tablet with a smart pen. The brain scans revealed higher activity in the group using paper and pencil, particularly in areas associated with memory. Afterward, all groups were tested on their recollection of the presentation without reference to their notes. The handwritten group demonstrated significantly better memory retention.

Handwriting engages fine motor skills through the use of the hand, arm, and body, and involves the sense of touch with the pencil and paper. Spatial awareness is activated as the hand moves across the page. Many can relate to the experience of writing a shopping list by hand and then recalling it in the store, even if they forgot the note at home. Ågård concludes that this mental reconstruction happens because the handwritten list has created lasting neural impressions, unlike if it had merely been typed.