The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits and challenges using laptop computers (hereafter referred to as laptops) inside and outside higher education classrooms. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 156 university students (54 males, 102 females) enrolled in either education or communication studies. Benefits of…

Described are five techniques to improve student learning during lectures: (1) separating listening from recording and requiring note-taking to be undertaken from memory; (2) using active review during the lecture; (3) using structured discussion; (4) using instant questionnaires; and (5) having students summarize important things from the…

This study investigated the effectiveness of reading only, regular note taking, and paragraph summaries for questions at the six levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Paragraph summaries were most effective at the application and analysis levels and least effective at the synthesis and evaluation levels. (Author/LMO)

Techniques for improving the lecture and notetaking skills of students in the biological and biomedical sciences are presented in this guide. These students frequently find the need to re-organize existing notetaking skills because of the vast amount of material that has to be learned and the importance of efficient learning to the process of…

Presents five preliminary conclusions about notetaking practices based on findings in the literature. Each conclusion is followed by a discussion of its implications for classroom instruction, and links between various lecturer and student behaviors and the external events of instruction are proposed. (Author/MBR)

This study investigated student use of commercial note-taking services as a predictor of class attendance and examined the effects of their use on academic performance in science courses. The study draws upon results of a survey distributed to 1,874 undergraduate students (response rate 58.2 percent) enrolled in two large-lecture chemistry courses…

Investigates the efficiency of a novel addition to the routine of note taking, writing brief summaries of the lecture material during four-minute breaks within the lecture. A group of students wrote three sets of summaries during a 21-minute lecture and showed significant improvement in understanding over other groups. (MJP)

This manual covers study behavior and attitudes and specific study techniques for health profession students, including scheduling, comprehension, memory, and test-taking techniques. Much of the approach emphasizes self-discipline and honesty. Focus is on how students in a health professions program can make their study time more productive and…

This study skills curriculum is designed to assist students who are deaf or hearing impaired to prepare for college life. It presents lesson plans and activities that address the following topics: (1) effective school tools; (2) effective school attitudes; (3) effective school behaviors; (4) time management and goal settings, including keeping…