(Writing by hand has)...profound impact on cognitive processes (and) continues to be a topic of intense scientific scrutiny. Methods: This paper investigates the neural mechanisms underlying handwriting and typing, exploring the distinct cognitive and neurological benefits associated with each. By synthesizing findings from neuroimaging studies, we explore how handwriting and typing differentially activate brain regions associated with motor control, sensory perception, and higher-order cognitive functions. Results: Handwriting activates a broader network of brain regions involved in motor, sensory, and cognitive processing (while) typing engages fewer neural circuits, resulting in more passive cognitive engagement. Despite the advantages of typing in terms of speed and convenience, handwriting remains an important tool for learning and memory retention, particularly in educational contexts. Source
Healthy brain in the middle. Patient with Alzheimer's Disease on the right. ERJ's brain on the left.
"...broader network(s) of brain regions..." is associated with recovering more quickly from strokes and other brain trauma. It is probably desirable from the standpoint of staving off dementia in all forms. If one neighborhood is not accepting through-traffic, then having frequently traveled, alternate routes is good.
My plan is to write out my daily To Do list long-hand, in cursive (why not?). Gotta tickle those neurons to keep them on their toes.
My experience is of two ways to amplify my understanding of material. (i) Make notes in cursive. Sometimes I could even throw them away afterwards but just writing the notes seems to help understanding and retention.
ReplyDelete(ii) Walk around while thinking about the material, talking to myself if needs be. I've never been arrested for this though I was once thrown out of a library.
Writing by hand is very effective for memory retention. I've been using repetitive writing to memorize scripture for some time. It is very effective.
ReplyDeleteI do the same and for the same reason. I discovered this in high school. I began hand writing key passages rather than highlighting.
DeleteMy original discovery was I found that I had better memory of shopping lists if I first wrote them out rather than try to remember only. Even without the list in hand, the memory of writing tripped the memory of the items on the list.
Yet another reason that analog rules.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of the digital wristwatch with an analog face. Hilarious irony.
DeleteI like to joke that the last digital examination I had at the doctor's was entirely analog.
DeleteI''m way out of practice with cursive writing. I'm a CAD draftsman and write with block lettering similar to drafting. My name is the only cursive writing I use currently.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in university, I would take fairly copious, but messy notes. At night, I would re-copy the notes, neatly, into a different ledger book and use that to study. I found early on that re-writing the notes, by hand, really helped me to absorb the classroom discussion, even making me remember additional material that I hadn't taken down in the notes. It was an invaluable way to learn, and to retain.
ReplyDeleteTeachers have known this for decades, ergo the assignment(punishment)...
ReplyDeleteI will not pull Suzy's hair in class.
I will not pull Suzy's hair in class.
I will not pull Suzy's hair in class...
One hundred times or a thousand, depending on how mean the teacher wanted to be.
And tens-of-thousands of teachers are convinced that they are doing their students a huge favor by putting "Their Powerpoint" into the Google Drop-Box for the students to download and "study'.
Delete