Effective Learning Without Taking Notes

Jakarta, Kartunet - One thing students sometimes find tedious is taking notes. Most prefer to photocopy a friend's notes, and chances are, those notes are never read again. But don't worry, not liking note-taking doesn't mean you can't succeed. Try some of the learning techniques used by our visually impaired friends below, which you might find applicable. First, replace note-taking with pen and paper by using an MP3 recorder. This technique is commonly used by visually impaired individuals to record teacher explanations from teachers. Instead of taking notes in Braille, which can be quite noisy with tapping sounds on the table, using a recording device is more effective. You can record when the teacher is explaining a lesson, or if there are notes on the whiteboard, you can copy a friend's notes by reading them aloud to be recorded. In the current era, recording teacher explanations is much easier than manual note-taking. You don't even need a special MP3 recorder; a smartphone with sufficient memory is enough. This is unlike a few years ago when you still had to use tape recorders and dozens of cassettes. The risks then included not only difficulty in finding the desired recording but also tangled or broken cassette tapes. Then, after recording, you can play it back when you're at home. This will make it feel like you're re-attending the lesson that previously took place in class. If there are parts you might not have fully understood, you can repeat them on the recording and comprehend them better. Furthermore, the fatigue after a full day of activities doesn't need to be compounded by reading notes at night. You can listen to the recording again while eating or lying in bed. Convenient, right? Another technique is to record summaries of textbook material into audio format. Instead of just reading and potentially forgetting it soon after, it's better to read while trying to understand, and record your voice. This collection of recordings will be very helpful, especially leading up to midterms (UTS) or final exams (UAS). Because you can simply relax and listen to your own recordings, which automatically reopens those memory files in your brain. What do you think of the tips above? Hopefully, some of these learning techniques used by our visually impaired friends can also suit your learning style. Happy trying! (DPM)