Note taking is an invaluable activity when it comes to online classroom sessions. It assists students in grabbing the most important points from a big wave of information which has been splashed upon them. By honing the skill of notes taking, one can effectively surf through online lectures easily!
Why Taking Note Taking is Significant?
Notes taking encourage a student to actively engage in the learning process. This goes on to show that a student is actually putting in efforts to grab what is being taught to them instead of passively listening to the lecture. Furthermore, it increases a student’s retention. Overall, note taking is significant because it teaches students to keep a record of important information, give them a taste of multi-tasking and develops their organizational skills. It is also observes that students who take notes tend to learn faster than students who do not.
5 Easy Steps of Taking Notes during an Online Class
Whether a student is enrolled in an online class, taking session on online platforms like Teachmint, or are attending distance learning courses, these 5 simple steps of note-taking will simplify their educational journey!
- Jot down Important Facts.
If teacher is repeatedly emphasising on a certain theme, line or fact, it is clear that the information must be focuses upon. Anything written or displayed on white board or online screen, must be jotted down for future reference. These can include technical jargons, potential questions, mathematical formula, scientific definitions and terms, fact or figure, etc.
- Paraphrase
Paraphrasing refers to the concept of jotting down a piece of information in one’s own words, without twisting its meaning and essence. It is a form of summarising only. Paraphrasing helps a lot in grasping the most out of a big load of information.
- Choose Your Note Taking Strategy
There are an ample number of ways by which one can prepare their notes. Notes taking as a whole is a very personal approach, and there is nothing wrong or right in the same. What might work for you, might not for others, and vice versa! Still, at large there are three main strategies of notes making observed amongst students. They are –
- Handmade notes – These are the type of notes that one prepares if they learn from what they write by their own hands. This type usually accounts for a rough set of notes which are later written in a readable and learnable manner. It is still time consuming.
- Virtual Notes – These are the type of notes that one prepares on software or any virtual notepad. Notes here are typed instead of written. It is still a faster mode of note taking, but again it depends on the speed of typing and information grasping of an individual.
- Hybrid – Some people write down the notes and later type them for future references, while others first type and them write to understand. Both methods are very common.
- Don’t Spend Much Time on Decoration
Notes at large are meant for personal use, and for quick references. They are not meant for presentation purposes. Most students are taught to prepare their handwritten or virtual notes in a presentable format. It is mostly taught so that students do not rush the process and later miss on facts. Still, most students take it otherwise and spend significant amount of time in writing, re-writing, typing, re-typing and them designing the entire physical or virtual sheet. This wastes a lot of precious time. Hence, students should be advised to prepare notes in a readable manner for personal usage and not for presentation purposes.
- Format Questions
Since the entire purpose of preparing notes is to learn them by heart and write correct answers in examinations and assessments, students should inculcate the habit of framing their notes in questions and answers format. Again, there is no harm in writing short sentences, summaries in paragraphs or reference points, but a questions and answers format will make students explore potential questions, and would be able to write answers to the same in advance. They will be able to do so because they would have been practicing it while writing already!
Note taking is very important in any format of education. Teachers and students should work together in developing this process. Hope you found this blog resourceful. Please stay tuned for more educational centric blogs on our website! Till then, happy learning!