Ever found yourself wondering if there’s more to the scribbles on paper than just pretty letters? Well, turns out, that handwriting is like a secret brain workout that goes beyond the ink and paper.
In an age dominated by digital devices and keyboards, the art of handwriting may seem like a quaint relic of the past. However, recent research suggests that putting pen to paper goes beyond mere nostalgia—it plays a crucial role in boosting brain connectivity and enhancing the learning process.
Whether written in cursive on a touchscreen or with a traditional pen and paper, handwriting activates large regions of the brain that are essential for learning and memory. These facts demonstrate how crucial it is to balance digital literacy with traditional handwriting teaching in educational settings.
Did you know?
- Compared to typing, handwriting activates more sophisticated brain circuitry, which is advantageous for memory and learning.
- Studies show the distinct cognitive engagement of handwriting by measuring brain activity using high-density EEGs.
- Findings support the continued teaching of handwriting in addition to digital literacy in schools.
Aiding mind-body connections
In schools and universities, taking notes by hand is becoming less prevalent as digital gadgets gradually replace pen and paper. It is advised to use a keyboard since it is usually quicker than writing by hand. The latter, however, has been demonstrated to enhance memory recall and spelling accuracy.
Norwegian researchers now looked at the underlying neural networks involved in both styles of writing to see if the act of hand-forming letters resulted in higher brain connectivity.
“We demonstrate that handwriting produces much more complex brain connectivity patterns than typing on a keyboard,” said Prof. Audrey van der Meer, a co-author of the study that was published in Frontiers in Psychology and a brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
“Learning benefits from such widespread brain connectivity, which is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information.”
Ink triumphs over keys: The power of the pen
36 college students’ EEG data was gathered by the researchers after they were repeatedly asked to write or type a word that was displayed on a screen. They wrote what they saw directly on a touchscreen in cursive using a digital pen. They also pressed keys on a keyboard with a single finger while typing.
Every cue was recorded for five seconds using a high-density electroencephalogram (EEG), which uses 256 tiny sensors sewed into a net and placed over the head to assess electrical activity in the brain.
When the students wrote by hand, but not when they typed, there was an increase in connectivity between several brain regions.
“Our findings suggest that visual and movement information obtained through precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen contribute extensively to the brain’s connectivity patterns that promote learning,” van der Meer said.
You got to pick up those moves, for memory!
The researchers stated that although the participants wrote using digital pens, the outcomes should be the same when writing with a real pen on paper.
Van der Meer said, “We have demonstrated that the variations in brain activity are related to the meticulous letter formation when writing by hand while making more use of the senses.”
Writing in print is anticipated to provide learning advantages comparable to cursive writing since the motion of the fingers used to make letters enhances brain connectivity. Conversely, the brain is not as stimulated by the mere act of repeatedly striking the same note with the same finger.
“This also clarifies why kids who have studied writing and reading on tablets may find it challenging to distinguish between letters that are mirror images of one another, like ‘b’ and ‘d.'” According to van der Meer, “They haven’t even experienced physically what it feels like to write those letters.”
A delicate balancing act
The researchers concluded that their results show how important it is to allow pupils to use pens in the classroom as opposed to making them type. A good first step may be to establish guidelines to guarantee that kids receive handwriting instruction at the very least. For instance, many US states reintroduced cursive writing instruction at the start of the year.
They also stressed that it’s critical to stay up to date with the rapidly advancing technology improvements. This involves knowing which writing style is more advantageous in what situation.
Van der Meer concluded that while utilising a computer with a keyboard may be more practical when writing a lengthy text or essay, there is some evidence that students learn more and retain better when taking handwritten lecture notes.
So, next time someone gives you a puzzled look for sticking to the traditional pen-and-paper route, just tell them you’re giving your brain some special treatment—the kind no keyboard can match.
(Tashia Bernardus)