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COPYRIGHT 2005 College Reading and Learning Association
Many instructors supply online lecture notes but little attention has been given to how students can make the best use of this resource. Based on observations of student difficulties with these notes, a strategy called parallel note-taking was developed for using online notes. The strategy is a hybrid of research-proven strategies for effective note-taking and reading. This paper describes student difficulties using online notes, reviews note-taking and reading strategies, outlines the parallel note-taking strategy, and describes the method for teaching this strategy. Additionally, the paper presents the results of a survey which confirmed observations of student difficulties using online notes and which suggested that parallel note-taking should be appropriate in this situation. Finally, the paper describes several ways for developing online notes and teaching students how to effectively use them as a learning tool in the classroom.
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Computers are becoming part of many instructors' repertoire of presentation media, both in and out of the classroom. One way that computer technology is making inroads into the classroom is through instructor-supplied online lecture notes, or "Webnotes." Webnotes are usually very popular with students (Chrisman & Harvey, 1998; Levine, 2002; Murphy & Cross, 2002) and are available in many forms ranging from rough outlines to complete transcripts of lectures.
Because Webnotes are a relatively new kind of "text" for students to navigate, there has been little research into their use. Some studies suggest that instructor-supplied lecture notes improve student performance (Annis, 1981; Smith, 1984), while others show they have a negative effect (Murphy & Cross, 2002). However, research examining how students use Webnotes and how they may affect student performance is lacking. In our experience, many students print out Webnotes, but are unsure of how to use them effectively. Some students print out Webnotes in lieu of taking their own notes during lectures or discussions. Others take notes in class in a more traditional way and put available Webnotes to little or no use. Sadly, some students use Webnotes as a substitute for going to class.
While there has been little to no research into the use of Webnotes specifically, a great deal of research is available regarding the use of learning strategies for taking effective lecture notes. Note-taking has long been recognized as an important element of students' understanding of lecture material (Armbruster, 2000). Controlled experiments show that students who perform encoding plus storage note-taking functions (i.e. taking notes and reviewing them) outperform those who do not (Kiewra et al., 1991; Kiewra, Dubois, Christensen, Kim, & Lindberg, 1989). Armbruster's (2000) review of the literature on note-taking found that student notes are generally incomplete and contain less than 40% of the main content ideas. The amount of information included, note completeness, and length of notes is significantly, positively correlated to student performance. Evidence from several decades of research emphasizes the importance of taking complete lecture notes and of reviewing them. Moreover, strategies which encourage active processing of information help students to learn effectively. In particular, note-taking strategies that promote rehearsal and review of lecture material enhance learning.
The split-page method, also known as the Cornell method (as explained in Pauk, 2000), is a note-taking strategy in which the student divides his or her paper into two columns, takes lecture notes on the right-hand side, and uses the left margin to write questions or annotations. The split-page method is effective because it incorporates an element of self-testing. Students who employ either self-questioning or reciprocal-questioning with a peer significantly outperform those students who review lecture material without self-testing (King, 1991). When students think about the lecture material by forming and then answering questions, their performance improves because the process of self-questioning forces students to monitor their learning and comprehension. Additionally, self-testing as a part of split-page method encourages students to review on a regular basis rather than waiting until just before an exam (Nist & Holschuh, 2000a). Active engagement with the notes before, during, and after class is the most important element of the split-page method of note-taking.
Similar results have been found in research relating to strategies for the effective use of written texts. For example, annotation is an active reading strategy that involves the following elements: writing brief summaries in students' own words in the margins, enumerating lists of ideas, noting examples, putting information in graphs and charts where appropriate, predicting possible test questions, marking confusing ideas, and underlining key words and phrases (Nist & Simpson, 1988). Research shows that students who annotate text outperform students who are given pre-reading questions, even though they spend less time studying for the exam. Annotation requires students to isolate, reduce, and organize information in a personally meaningful way; identify key concepts and important supporting details; and monitor learning (Nist & Holschuh, 2000a). More generally, annotation encourages active reading and monitoring of understanding (Nist & Holschuh, 2000b). When annotating, according to Nist and Simpson (1988), students are engaged in active reading because they process the information, build ideas, and make connections. Because annotations are written in students' own words, if they find they cannot rephrase the material, they know they do not fully comprehend the information. Annotation is an exceptionally flexible and accessible strategy, and can improve motivation because students approach the text with a purpose (Nist & Diehl, 1998). In order for annotation to be an effective method for enhancing comprehension, students must write notes in their own words (Nist & Simpson, 1988; Strode, 1991). Research has demonstrated that mastering this strategy can require more than one semester of instruction and practice (Holschuh, 1995; Mealey & Frazier, 1992).
The split-page method and textbook annotation are effective strategies for student learning because they require students to actively engage with new information. These strategies involve processing information in ways that make it meaningful to the individual student, and self-testing techniques that insure the student properly understands the information and can successfully analyze and apply it. These strategies promote active learning approaches to two familiar sources of information in the classroom. As a new kind of "text," Webnotes present a new challenge to students. Thus we began this study with the following questions: 1)...
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