Collaborative note-taking can positively impact the learning experience for students by creating a more inclusive and equitable classroom environment. There are several strategies to align note-taking processes with lectures and learning activities, ultimately leading to more effective learning outcomes.
Provide students with an overview of the session topics and subtopics to help students determine how to structure their notes, including potential headers or sections. Students also have an idea of what to expect or anticipate throughout the lecture related to the topic of study.
Structural cues help students discern the most important information to include in their notes. Verbal cues include phrases such as “The main argument is...” or “The biggest takeaway...” Visual cues in lecture material include highlighted text or arrows pointing out essential concepts.
Students benefit from time to pause and reflect on their notes. Build short, regular pauses to allow students time to process and note relevant information from a lecture or presentation. Pause at the conclusion of particular slides or the close of a lecture subtopic.
Ask open-ended, guided questions and engage students during the lecture – not just after – to encourage students to consider the material’s application. Students can then ask clarifying questions and elaborate on important points in their notes.
Students benefit from having complex visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and other visual representations provided to avoid spending time copying. Rather, students annotate, label, or practice with the concepts presented through complex visual aids.
Provide a short review of the lecture’s major takeaways to help students reinforce the material and to add any final points to their notes. Students may also benefit from time to review and compare their notes with peers to reinforce their learning.
Stapleton-Corcoran, Erin (2023). “Note-taking.” Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence at the University of Illinois Chicago.