Maximizing Test Success: Identifying the Most Effective Note-Taking Strategies for High School Chemistry

Abstract

An experiment was designed to effectively test the efficiency of a new note-taking system, combining elements of both interactive notebooks and online, typed notes, in an effort to get the best of both worlds. Although the implementation of the digital interactive notebook did not yield the expected outcome of improving test scores, the experiment offered meaningful insights and important considerations that point to future directions. In their current form, digital interactive notebooks do not improve test performance, but promising indicators were observed. Students had fun with their new note-taking, enjoyed typing information quicker, and experienced the benefits of having their notes on all of their personal devices. An optimal combination of both digital notes and hand-written notes can still be reached through a “digital interactive-notebook” approach to help all chemistry students, from struggling to succeeding, to reach their full potential in science; longer periods of note-taking, starting implementation at the beginning of the school year, prioritizing engagement in the notes themselves, and talking to students directly to understand their worries are the first steps of a successful digital-notes wave.