Here you are, computer before you, a feeling of anticipation in your stomach, waiting for the lecture video to start. You’re a bit nervous because, for some reason, the countdown for an online meeting is much more visceral than that of in-person meetings, but you’re pleased to at least be having this session in the comfort of your own room or cubicle.
Perhaps you’re a full-time online student, or maybe you’re taking a course just for fun. Maybe you’re about to watch a debate on television between two presidential candidates running for office. Or a live stream on YouTube featuring a guest specializing in Dutch art of the 16th century.
Or maybe it’s not time-sensitive at all, and you’re free to cue up a video or an article whenever your heart desires and really take your time going through it. Maybe this is homework and your textbook is online, or you just clicked on today’s article from The New York Post. Maybe you’re watching a documentary or settling down to do some research.
Whatever it may be, the internet is truly an amazing repository of information and holds countless opportunities for learning. It’s estimated that 328.77 million terabytes of data are added every day—and though not all of it is research-worthy (you all know what I’m talking about), there’s still way more perfectly valuable content than you could ever sift through in your lifetime.
For the purpose of the illustration, let’s just say that you’re doing exactly what you’re doing right now: reading a blog post on how to use effective note-taking techniques for online learning. It’s quite fitting, isn’t it? I love it when these things come full circle.
Of course, it’s not going to work out perfectly because you will have to read the entire post before you begin taking notes to make sure that you’re doing each of the recommended techniques.
But this is the perfect time to give you a hint and a taste of what is to come: if your online learning isn’t time-sensitive, then it’s a valuable practice to read or watch through it first without taking notes, and then pull out your notebook for a second run-through. But more on that later; for now, just trust me! Read through the entire post without taking any notes, and then, when you get to the end, start again with a pen in hand. You’ll see what a difference it can make.
If any of the above scenarios apply to you, then you’ve come to the right place. Effective note-taking is a skill, not a talent you’re born with, and in this age of the internet and ever-evolving technology, it’s more important than ever that you have the tools to navigate this space with efficiency and elegance.
So settle yourself down and try not to get distracted before the end of this blog post, or you’ll miss out on some of the best tips and techniques for online notetaking to be found—well, online! Let’s get started.
Why Online Learning Is Different than Offline Learning
Keep in mind the common warning that not everything you read on the internet is true (besides this blog post, of course)! Since anyone and everyone can upload content online, it can be harder to track down their sources and verify their credibility. Of course, it’s just as possible to pick up a questionable book or sign up for a wonky class in-person, but let’s face it, that takes a lot more effort and intentionality. Imagine actually having to go to class—ugh! That’s so much more work than merely opening your laptop and hitting Google Search.
You’ll have to use discernment when learning online, because you’re learning even when you’re just scrolling through social media or bouncing around on YouTube—you just may not know it. That’s the first big difference between learning online and offline: whenever you’re online, you’re never truly in a closed system, no matter how many tabs you close or links you decline clicking. Because cyberspace is built upon one nearly sacred characteristic: accessibility. And it’s designed to encourage you to explore that accessibility endlessly.
So it’s crucial when learning online to take control of your own learning, because if you don’t, the internet will do it for you—and you’ll find yourself at the bottom of a convoluted rabbit trail that may be temporarily interesting but won’t help you achieve any of your goals, improve your life, or refine your mind.
A second, less doomsday way that online learning is different from offline learning is in the structure and the setting. This is, of course, not news to you and may be the very reason why you chose online learning in the first place. For one, it’s immensely more flexible and convenient. You can schedule things whenever they work best for you; if you’re working with video recordings or reading material, you can stop and start them as it pleases you; and you don’t have to worry about the inconveniences of having to travel to and from a specific location at set times.
Another element of that is that online learning offers both synchronous and asynchronous learning, and the student can decide which they prefer. Synchronous learning is the traditional phenomenon of classes or learning opportunities occurring on set schedules and time frames, such as the examples I gave earlier of a live stream, real-time lecture, or Zoom event. There are still plenty of opportunities for this type of learning online, and it’s valuable because it allows for instant feedback, engaged participation, and real-time communication with instructors and peers.
Asynchronous learning is much more flexible and allows students to complete their work at their own pace. Maybe they have a window of time, or maybe it’s completely open-ended. This approach to learning is more self-driven, which means that the learner must take on more responsibility for holding themselves accountable and doing the work well.
For an undisciplined learner, this approach might be disastrous—but you’re here reading this post, so I know that doesn’t apply to you! Asynchronous learning has the advantage of giving learners more time to formulate their own thoughts and to spend enough time with each concept to fully understand it. And, again, the flexibility is immensely convenient.
You have more access to information but less access to your speaker or your peers. It can be harder to network with your classmates or fellow audience members, which can make the online note-taker quite isolated. However, there is plenty of opportunity for networking outside of that setting, since you have the world of the internet at your fingertips. Ironically, it can be easier to reach individuals on the other side of the world than it is to connect with the people virtually adjacent to you in your session.
Online learning is also often cheaper than offline learning, which can be especially convenient for young people. If we’re talking about college students, online students don’t have to pay for student housing, gas for commuting, or on-campus meal programs. Tuition is generally lower for online programs, and a lot of other online courses and content are completely free.
Technology being technology, online learning of subjects is a lot more tech-challenging than in-person learning. You may have to learn new software or comply with updates, which can be expensive and time-consuming. On the flip side, there are countless resources available online for you to access, and search portals are certainly useful for supplementing your notes with additional research.
Why Taking Notes Is Important
You may be wondering: if all of the information is online and accessible, then why bother taking notes in lectures? That is a fair question, but let me ask you one in return: What are you trying to accomplish with your learning?
If all you want is to create a database of disparate information, then the internet already serves that purpose for you. Well done! You have succeeded. There isn’t much of a reason to continue learning, then, because you can just look up whatever you need when you need it and not before. Google can be your virtual encyclopedia that can spit facts out of its algorithm to fill your immediate knowledge gap.
But I know that’s not what you’re thinking, because you’re here — reading about taking notes for online learning.
Really, the answer to why taking notes for online learning is important is the same as the answer to why taking good notes at all is important (hence the title of this section; see what I did there?). And the answer to that can be as long or as short as we want to make it, but I’m on a bit of a soapbox here, so hear me out:
Taking notes is important for your learning because that’s why you’re here: to learn. And note-taking has been proven to improve learners’ engagement with the material, their comprehension of both the big picture and the nuances of studying the subject, and their recall of the information.
That alone should be convincing enough, because note-taking will help you walk away better understanding what you just heard. Through the process of taking notes, you can make that information yours for as long as you care to keep hold of it.
What It’s All About
But more than that, note-taking is the first step towards application. What good is knowledge that is only stuck in your head? It has a limited life and a limited impact on you and the world around you. Application is where knowledge flies free and reaches its full potential. There are countless quotes about this online from a variety of quite smart people; here are a few just for your enjoyment:
- “Knowledge is not power, it is only potential. Applying that knowledge is power. Understanding why and when to apply that knowledge is wisdom!” —Takeda Shingen
- “Success is the uncommon application of common knowledge.” —Ivan Misner
- “Knowledge is useless without consistent application.” —Julian Hall
- “Knowledge without application is like a book that is never read.” —Christopher Crawford
- “Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthy end.” —Napoleon Hill
You may not agree fully with every quote, but you get the idea. Note-taking will not only help you better learn the material, but because of its clear goal-orientation, it will also set you up to apply that knowledge in meaningful ways. By walking into a session with a clear idea of what your learning priorities are, why they matter, and how you’re going to go about achieving them, you’re already making that knowledge serve your purposes.
To have full comprehension over a topic, along with full control over how you are engaging with it and a clear idea of what you’re using it for, is to have mastery over a subject. In other words, note-taking is the first step to excellence.
Preparatory Techniques for Online Note-Taking
Now for the real work — let’s get into the seven most effective note-taking techniques for online learning.
The art of note-taking starts before you even put pen to paper, before the virtual classroom session even begins. So whether or not you’re engaging in synchronous learning and have a scheduled session coming up or whether you’ve found the time to sit down at your computer and engage in learning on your own, here’s where you should start.
#1: Review Your Materials
If you have any pre-downloaded content attached to the content, take a moment to look it over. The same goes for any previous content, if this session is one in a series or if you’ve taken notes on this topic before.
Reviewing any extraneous or previous materials that you have concerning the session will help get you in the right mindset and allow you to identify any other key points or themes you think might be covered, jot down any questions you might have going into it, and look up any terminology that you’re uncertain about. You could even try to answer your own questions independently and then see if you’re right.
When looking through any extraneous material you have, consider how you might incorporate it into your notes. First of all, you can use that material to begin considering how you’re going to write, format, and structure your notes (more on that later). Also think about how you’d like to store all of this information; if you’re receiving a lot of extra digital materials, you may want to develop a file folder system as well as a naming system for each file.
#2: Choose Between Handwriting and Digital
But of course, you’re not required to take your notes on the computer, even if you’re learning an online course. Just because any extra materials are digital doesn’t mean your notes have to be too; handwriting is just as valid an option. Which brings us to the next effective note-taking technique: choosing how you’re going to conduct your note-taking.
A good note-taking strategy includes many factors, of which handwriting vs. digital is only one. But we’ll start there because, well, that’s the first thing you have to decide! There are pros and cons to both of these note-taking systems, and chances are that most of you are going to decide to use digital notes for online learning because it’s simply more convenient. And that is totally fine; there are a lot of benefits to being able to record your thoughts faster and be able to incorporate any visuals or digital elements given to you during the session.
But to make a case for handwriting, it has been proven to be more effective for actually learning the material. One, because it’s slower than typing, which forces the learner to put more thought into the material so that they can accurately paraphrase. Two, it’s more challenging than typing is and so involves more regions of the brain, which better implants it into the learner’s memory. And three, it’s a good way for online students to better avoid the distractions that online learning offers (more on that later, too!).
You can also do a hybrid style of notes that includes both digital and handwritten elements.
#3: Pick a Note-Taking Method
Perhaps the best thing you can do to make your online notes more organized and effective is to follow a tried-and-true note-taking style or template. There are many to choose from, some of which have been around for decades, if not centuries.
Your choice of paper vs. digital notes will have an effect on your choice of note-taking style. Although there are plenty of templates and software online that you could download to order your notes quickly, keep that in mind as an option. Here are a few of the more popular and established note-taking methods to give you an idea of how you could organize your material:
- Outlining method: This style will be equally easy to follow on both the computer and the page and is likely the one you’re most familiar with. It’s quite simple—just use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to order your information, with each following the point before it. This method is all about logical sequencing and hierarchies, and it’s very clear how each element fits into the bigger picture.
- Charting method: This method uses charts, tables, and columns to organize information according to points of similarity. If you’re trying to organize vast amounts of data that all have one or two things in common, this is the method for you. This style can be used in both handwritten and typed notes, but may actually be more suited to the computer since you can easily add new rows and shift their sizes.
- Cornell method: To use this method, divide your page into three sections: a narrow column on the left for keywords, clues, and short questions; a larger section on the right for the bulk of your notes; and a section on the bottom of the page for you to summarize the topic at the end of the session and note any concluding thoughts. This has been a popular style of note-taking since the 1940s, so there are plenty of online templates that you can download for your typed notes if that is your preference.
- Mind-Mapping method: You might need some more technical skills to pull this one off if you want to do it online, or find a template that is intuitive to use. Start by drawing a circle in the center of your page and labeling it with the key topic. Then draw lines branching out to other circles that hold supporting details. This style may be easier to use on the fly when writing your notes, though it’s convenient to be able to download images to add to some of the circles, if relevant.
These are just a few of the many note-taking styles out there. You’ll want to pick one method and stick with it for the duration of your session; these note-taking skills are great tools of organization that will help you focus and better order the information in your notes. And they will be fantastic aids when it comes to reviewing the material later on!
Techniques to Do While Taking Notes
Excellent, now that we’ve got all that sorted—be sure to date and name your page, and then you’re ready to dive into the bulk of note-taking.
#4: Focus on Key Concepts
Don’t fall into the common trap of either writing too much or too little. Many learners try to copy everything the speaker says word-for-word, but this is nearly impossible to pull off and actually decreases their learning. Others don’t put enough flesh on the bones of their notes to make them useful later on when you’re trying to remember what you meant with your two-word bullet points.
Instead, listen carefully to what the speaker says and think about the content, then paraphrase the summary of key concepts in your own words. You don’t need to include every single data point; only the ones that are relevant to your learning goals.
The more you can take notes and engage with the key concepts, the better you will understand them—and the better you will understand the material. Don’t get bogged down in the mire of miscellaneous details that aren’t very important to the bigger picture; they will only clutter your notes and make it harder to review them. Remember, keep your writing clear, concise, and comprehensive.
#5: Minimize Distractions
Here, see—I said we would get back to this, didn’t I? Earlier, we touched on the distractions offered by the internet and digital note-taking, but this deserves a full section of its own. It is certainly worth your time and effort to minimize as many distractions as possible, regardless of whether you’re taking notes by computer or by hand. Just the fact that you’re learning on the internet is distraction enough.
Any notifications that you may receive during your note-taking session will immediately shatter your concentration. So turn off your phone and shut down any apps you may have open on your computer. Close all unnecessary tabs. Avoid accessing Google during the session, even if all you want to do is look up a word. Do everything you can, short of turning your computer off, to cut off the internet’s capacity to distract you.
In the end, you can never fully disengage from the internet so long as you are using your computer, and especially, of course, if you are online. Which means that you’re going to need to be disciplined and keep yourself focused on what you are trying to learn. At the end of the day, how dedicated you are to your learning outcomes is dependent on you.
#6: Use Efficiency Strategies
There are plenty of shortcuts you can take in your note-taking that will make your efforts more productive and streamline your learning. For example, set up your own coding system or use variations of shorthand. Abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols all make recording information faster, as does leaving out unnecessary words like “the” and “a.”
Instead of copying down all of the slides and diagrams, you can just make a note of their locations in the middle of the slide deck or their time stamp in the video. Go back to them later to get the details down in full.
If you are handwriting your notes, use neat handwriting. Keep things uniform and orderly. Use color, highlighting, underlining, and other indicators to make more relevant information pop out to your eye. Prepare yourself to record your own notes by hand, clearly, concisely, and correctly.
Follow-Up Techniques for Effective Note-Taking
The session ends, and you log out and breathe a sigh of relief. But don’t power down your computer just yet; there’s still one more thing you need to do. Here’s the seventh and last of the most effective techniques for online learning:
#7: Summarize and Review
Information will only stick in your short-term memory for so long. Don’t fall into the mistake of thinking that just because you have an external record in the form of your notes, you don’t need to look at them ever again. If you really want to learn the topic, then you’re going to have to do some reviewing to move that data into your long-term and working memory.
This process starts immediately after the session ends. Look over your lecture notes again. Summarize them, make any necessary revisions, and take note of any questions you were left with or things you want to explore further. If you missed something during the lecture, make a note of it. Feel free to add any related terms, concepts, ideas, or supporting materials from other sources.
Schedule more review sessions for the days and weeks that follow. Test yourself on the material or practice explaining it to a friend. The more you review, the better you will comprehend and remember the material.
Conclusion
Alright, everyone, gather around for a quick recap of what we covered in this blog post. First of all, congratulations on taking your online learning seriously. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of how online learning differs from offline learning and some helpful techniques to make your efforts more effective.
First, we discussed the differences between online and offline learning, which include factors such as convenience, distractions, self-starting, access to teachers and peers, synchronous and asynchronous learning, access to information, cost, and the pros and cons of advancing technology. There’s certainly a lot to keep in mind when learning online!
Then we made a case for why note-taking is important. What it all comes down to is your learning objectives: what do you hope to get out of the study session, and why? Once you identify that, your note-taking approach will naturally reorient itself to support that objective. But do keep in mind that learning is only part of the process; there are many thinkers who believe that the application of knowledge is where its true power lies.
Finally, we went into seven of the most effective techniques and other note taking tips and strategies for online learning. Just to briefly recap, you want to start before the session even begins by reviewing your materials and any previous notes and considering what the upcoming session will cover. You need to decide whether you’re going to take handwritten notes or digital notes, so consider all of the factors to make the decision that will be most effective for your current goals. Then, pick a note-taking method to help organize your notes more effectively.
After the session starts, make sure you are focusing on the key concepts rather than getting bogged down in the details. Minimize any distractions—at least, as much as you can. It will be impossible to fully ignore the distractions of the internet while learning your online courses, but by approaching them intentionally and intelligently, you can pull it off. Also, use a handful of efficiency strategies to better streamline your class notes and make them more productive.
And lastly, after the session ends, you should start the reviewing process immediately for the most efficient note-taking strategy. This will help establish the information even further in your memory while also helping you identify any questions you still have or gaps in your knowledge. After that, continue to schedule reviewing sessions until you have a firm grasp on the content.
So there you have it, folks: seven ways to make your online learning more effective and get you that much closer to succeeding at your learning objectives. While taking notes for online classes isn’t really all that different from offline classes, there are enough differences in the setting alone to require some awareness and preparation on your part. And since you’ve made it this far, dear reader, I know that you’re ready to hit the ground running!