New research has shown that handwriting leads to greater brain connectivity than typing on a keyboard, highlighting the need to expose students to more handwriting activities.
Handwriting, but not typing, leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with classroom implications Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Summary As traditional writing is progressively being replaced by digital devices, it is essential to investigate the implications for the human brain. Brain electrical activity was recorded in 36 college students as they handwrote visually presented words using a digital pen and typed the words on a keyboard. Connectivity analyzes were performed with EEG data recorded with a 256-channel sensor array. When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were much more elaborate than when typing on a keyboard, as demonstrated by widespread patterns of theta/alpha connectivity coherence between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central regions. of the brain. Existing literature indicates that connectivity patterns in these brain areas and at such frequencies are crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and are therefore beneficial for learning . Our findings suggest that the spatiotemporal pattern of visual and proprioceptive information obtained through precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen greatly contributes to brain connectivity patterns that promote learning. We urge that children, from an early age, be exposed to handwriting activities at school to establish neural connectivity patterns that provide the brain with optimal conditions for learning. While it is vital to maintain handwriting practice in school, it is also important to keep up with continually developing technological advances. Therefore, both teachers and students need to be aware of which practice has the best learning effect in which context, for example, when taking lecture notes or writing an essay. |
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As digital devices progressively replace pencil and paper, taking notes by hand is becoming less common in schools and universities. It is recommended to use a keyboard because it is usually faster than typing by hand. However, the latter has been found to improve spelling accuracy and memory recall.
To find out whether the process of forming letters by hand resulted in greater brain connectivity, researchers in Norway investigated the underlying neural networks involved in both modes of writing.
"We showed that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are much more elaborate than when typing on a keyboard," said Professor Audrey van der Meer, brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and co-author. of the published study. in Frontiers of Psychology. "Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and is therefore beneficial for learning."
The pen is more powerful than the board (keyboard)
The researchers collected EEG data from 36 college students who were repeatedly asked to write or type a word that appeared on a screen. When writing, they used a digital pen to write in cursive directly on a touch screen. When typing, they used a single finger to press the keys on a keyboard. High-density EEGs, which measure electrical activity in the brain using 256 small sensors sewn into a web and placed on the head, were recorded for five seconds for each cue.
The connectivity of different brain regions increased when participants wrote by hand, but not when they typed. "Our findings suggest that visual and motion information obtained through precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen greatly contributes to brain connectivity patterns that promote learning," van der Meer said.
Movement for memory
Although the participants used digital pens to write by hand, the researchers said the results are expected to be the same when using a real pen on paper. "We have shown that differences in brain activity are related to carefully forming letters when writing by hand and at the same time making greater use of the senses," explained van der Meer. Since it is the finger movement performed when forming letters that promotes brain connectivity, print writing is also expected to have similar learning benefits as cursive writing.
On the contrary, the simple movement of pressing a key with the same finger repeatedly is less stimulating for the brain. “This also explains why children who have learned to write and read on a tablet may have difficulty differentiating between letters that are mirror images of each other, such as ’b’ and ’d’. They literally haven’t felt with their bodies what it feels like to produce those lyrics ,” van der Meer said.
A balancing act
Their findings demonstrate the need to give students the opportunity to use pens, rather than having to write during class, the researchers said. Guidelines to ensure that students receive at least a minimum of handwriting instruction could be an appropriate step. For example, cursive writing training was re-implemented in many US states earlier this year.
At the same time, they warned that it is also important to keep up with continually developing technological advances. This includes awareness of which way of writing offers the most benefits and under what circumstances. "There is some evidence that students learn more and remember better when taking handwritten notes, while using a computer with a keyboard may be more practical when writing a long text or essay," van der Meer concluded.
