We go to school for the lectures and one-on-one instruction, not to mention the group-type activities. There are certain things that can't be gained from reading a book - or in this case, notes.
I don't know if it's just that I'm particularly dense, but I *cannot* take notes and think at the same time. Some of my lecturers take the sensible step of giving out photocopied notes, in which case I can concentrate on the lecture and get a great deal out of it. But if I'm concentrating on deciphering some professor's light grey 11-point scrawl on a mid-grey blackboard across the room, then I don't have time to process any of the information. (I guess this applies more to scientific lectures, where it's important to get every symbol down.)
One of my physics teachers used to stop people from taking notes while he was speaking. "We're thinking now, not writing," he'd say. That, IMO, is the right approach.
Does anybody else find this, or do people learn to multitask?
This is an interesting article in New Scientist about current developments in electronic paper. If this stuff is as nice as it looks, it could be the answer to many of the problems which prevent electronic media usurping paper. And, being less absorbent, electronic paper should be even better for reading in the bath than wood-pulp:-).
Slashdot Mirror
I don't know if it's just that I'm particularly dense, but I *cannot* take notes and think at the same time. Some of my lecturers take the sensible step of giving out photocopied notes, in which case I can concentrate on the lecture and get a great deal out of it. But if I'm concentrating on deciphering some professor's light grey 11-point scrawl on a mid-grey blackboard across the room, then I don't have time to process any of the information. (I guess this applies more to scientific lectures, where it's important to get every symbol down.)
One of my physics teachers used to stop people from taking notes while he was speaking. "We're thinking now, not writing," he'd say. That, IMO, is the right approach.
Does anybody else find this, or do people learn to multitask?
Pont
This is an interesting article in New Scientist about current developments in electronic paper. If this stuff is as nice as it looks, it could be the answer to many of the problems which prevent electronic media usurping paper. And, being less absorbent, electronic paper should be even better for reading in the bath than wood-pulp :-).