Barre with Justine

Do you write notes during classes or meetings? Or do you simply type on your laptop?

When you are preparing a lesson plan, do you jot notes down on paper or create a document online?

I am always so curious about how librarians and students do the process of writing, both creatively and for school/work purposes. For many years, the debate about reading on screens vs. reading a physical book has been a topic in the library world but I’m not certain if the topic of how students engage with library materials (e.g. annotating texts) or how we, as librarians, plan and create documents has received the same attention.

Personally, I love to write my ideas down first on paper whether it’s blog ideas, lesson plans, or brainstorming projects. I recognize the importance of documenting files electronically but my first step is always to write with pen and paper. It could be my age or my love for journaling, but writing feels more natural than typing.

Eleni Karavanidou’s short article about the relevance of handwriting gathers together a variety of research about the benefits of writing for children and adults, from improved recall of information to language perception. I love this quote:

“trends like embodied learning and mindfulness in schooling are already natural gifts of manuscript.” (158)

It’s a nice reminder of the physical aspects of handwriting (the feel of the paper and the sound of the pencil) and the deeper thought processes that can occur when we physically lay words onto the page.

A more recent study by Bouriga and Olive found that there was greater cognitive effort for undergraduate students to type rather than write notes during class and that recall was better in those that used handwriting.

When it comes to lesson planning, I love being able to jot down ideas and notes before creating a presentation or a handout (I’m also still a big fan of print handouts and sticky notes!). My thoughts seem more creative and reflective when I write vs. when I type a document.

So I am curious to know what your style of planning is! Please share below if you have thoughts. And feel free to download my lesson planning template from the Resources page!

Resources

Karavanidou, Eleni. “Is Handwriting Relevant in the Digital Era?” Antistasis 7.1 (2017): 153–. Print.

Bouriga, Sirine, and Thierry Olive. “Is Typewriting More Resources-Demanding than Handwriting in Undergraduate Students?” Reading & Writing, vol. 34, no. 9, Nov. 2021, pp. 2227–55.