3 Evidence-Based Ways to Supercharge Paper Notebooks

The humble paper notebook has been making a comeback in classrooms, as teachers try to limit digital distractions. But its benefits and versatility extend well beyond not requiring a power source. Not only do paper notebooks require students to slow down and synthesize information in real time, but also they’re powerful review and self-assessment tools, along with functioning as a canvas for a more creative, visual approach to note-taking. With consistency, organization, and a little patience, the paper notebook can become a potent learning tool—and a student’s main workspace. 

To learn more about the research cited in this video, check out the resources below.

• Eve Ose Askvik, F.R. van der Weel, Audrey L.H. van der Meer’s research on the neural activity associated with handwriting, drawing, and typewriting for 12-year-olds and young adults (2020).
• Linlin Luo, Kenneth A. Kiewra, and Lydia Samuelson’s paper on the power of revising lecture notes (2016).
• Myra A. Fernandes, Jeffrey D. Wammes, and Melissa E. Meade’s research article on the benefits of drawing in regard to memorizing information (2018).
• Keith W. Thiede, Katherine L. Wright, Sara Hagenah, Julianne Wenner, Jadelyn Abbott, and Angela Arechiga’s paper examining the effects of sketching on comprehension tests for fifth-grade science students (2022).
• Mirjam Ebersbach, Maike Feierabend, and Katharina Barzagar B. Nazari’s study on the long-term effects of self-testing for university learners (2020).

Note-taking is best approached as an ongoing process rather than a onetime task. Giving students opportunities to revisit and reorganize their notes, sketch or diagram complex ideas, and write their own review questions turns each notebook page into an active record of their learning progress. Over time, these practices help students make connections, identify and correct gaps in their understanding, and ultimately arrive at better academic outcomes.

To find even more evidence-based strategies for using paper notebooks in the classroom, read Stephen Merrill and Paige Tutt’s article for Edutopia, “6 Ways to Center a Paper Notebook.” For additional ideas for analog activities, check out Andrea Tamayo’s Edutopia article, “23 Ways to Unplug and Prioritize Paper Over Screens.”