Research Hit: How Handwriting Boosts Learning and Memory in the Brain

Writing by hand activates and connects the brain more than when typing

So the good ‘ole fashioned things, like handwriting, are actually best?!

Did you ever doubt it?! Remember, the rule of anything is that if you do something different, it activates the brain differently. The question, though, is is this a good, neutral, or bad thing for the brain.
With the advent of computers, and more recently tablets, we are spending less and less time handwriting. This also includes in learning environments such as at school and college.

I would think that handwriting activates the brain more - it requires more precise movements - doesn’t it?
There have been multiple studies and indeed most of them do point to handwriting being better for lots of things. This study, just out, looked at brain wave patterns of 36 students while typing or alternatively writing on a tablet.

So electronic writing?
Yes - some have argued that writing on paper is even more effective but I assume the differences are marginal. As you said the movements, the motor skill, and control is the same.

So what did these researchers find?
Ruud Van der Weel and Audrey Van der Meer of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that when writing the brain exhibited much higher activation in a broad range of regions showing higher brain connectivity between regions.

So the brain is more activated and better connected?
Yes, precisely. And this is also signature that is known to lead to higher memory and hence learning.

So if we want to learn we should write on a paper or tablet?
Yes, so this will boost memory and hence learning - and just give higher brain activation which is probably no bad thing. This applies to all contexts, learning at school, with young children, young adults, and in taking notes in business meetings.

By Andy Haymaker of Leading Brains
Photocredit: Unsplash