Preferences of Grade 12 Students on Note-taking

Abstract

Note-taking during each lecture helps you remember vital information and is a practical requirement for academic success. The conventional way to take notes is on paper, but as technology develops, more options, such as digital notes on online platforms, become accessible.

The study’s primary goal is to use survey data to assess students’ note-taking preferences based on their overall usage, which includes the frequency of notebook usage for handwritten notes and device usage for digital notes. Whether students opt for these note-taking methods for their convenience and motivational effect depends on how well they adjust to the return of in-person teaching. This study used descriptive quantitative research to highlight particular study frequencies, trends, and categories using a variety of statistical tests of the learners’ preferred note-taking methods, whether handwritten, digital, or both. The survey included 70 Grade 12 students. The researchers used statistical techniques such as frequency counts and mean. The results showed that 67% of respondents preferred traditional note-taking, while 16% preferred digital. The traditional approach excelled in motivational impact through comprehension, comfort, concentration, convenience in revision, and note interpretation. However, there was an improvement in productivity and ease of access and navigation. With only 4% of respondents favoring digital note-taking and 41% favoring both modes, most respondents still favor traditional note-taking. The study confirms Mueller and Oppenheimer’s 2014 findings that handwritten notes were preferred by students over digital notes, with traditional note-takers writing less than those who used a laptop or other device.