Note taking by hand is the better way to learn and remember.

In a study published earlier six years ago in Pyschological Science researchers at Princeton University and UCLA, USA, found a a paradox between using computers to write notes and writing notes by hand. They discovered that while computers are a great way to facilitate quick note taking , they paradoxically could keep us from absorbing and remembering the notes we take, even while we are simultaneously switching between tabs and checking email or Facebook posts.  

The researchers said that their findings suggest that laptops are used for their intended purposes of creating documents, presentations and charts etc, - and not just for playing computer games, watching YouTube videos and shopping on Amazon or Lazada, “Our new findings suggest that even when laptops are used as intended — and not for buying things on Amazon during class — computers may still be harming academic performance. This what Pam Mueller of Princeton University, a leading researcher said. 

Why do hand-writers have an advantage we ask? In order to discover why, researchers asked students to watch TED Talks and take notes either by hand or on a computer disconnected from the Internet. After completing distraction tests, the students were then asked to take quizzes on the material covered in the TED Talks. While students in both groups did equally well when it came to factual questions, those who took handwritten notes had a much better conceptual understanding of the material they wrote by hand. 

The researchers think that longhand note takers engage in more information processing that laptop note takers. Longhand note takers select more important information to include in their notes, this enables them to study learning content more effectively and efficiently, the researchers noted. 

So while computers allow us to write down every word that comes out of our tutor's, lecturer's or teacher's mouths,  they won’t necessarily help us to synthesize and digest what’s being said, whereas hand-writers intrinsically understand what is actually important and needs to be remembered. And that can help us make better use of our knowledge in the long run.