Why Do We Remember Better When We Take Notes with Pen and Paper?

Much of today's writing takes place digitally from the very start of primary school — but what does this do to the brain's development and ability to learn? Professor Ingeborg Stana draws on research documenting that handwriting and drawing activate far more parts of the brain than typing, leading to better memory and learning outcomes. She calls for more critical thinking around screen use in schools, and warns against removing handwriting from teaching. At the same time, she emphasises that digital tools can be a source of creativity — when used with awareness and competence.

The interview is available in Norwegian at Forskning.no

Illustration: Leonardo da Vinci, Studies of the foetus in the womb, ca. 1510–11. The pen forces the brain to look closer. What Leonardo drew, he remembered. What he merely looked at, he forgot.