Active Note Taking Strategies to Teach Critical Thinking

The benefits of active note-taking during lectures, class reading assignments, and in-class discussions are a learning strategy and pedagogical structure that engages students more fully in their understanding/learning. Active note-taking in all its forms provides students multiple ways to interact with the text, curriculum, and gain deeper insights into the topics being covered. The strategy of learning by doing are well-documented: giving students more tools to engage with literature, in particular, is a way to fully understand and internalize the wisdom and knowledge of the authors being discussed. Mortimer J. Adler said it best, "In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you." Active Note Taking is indispensable due to one fact, it is a critical hands-on path to teaching wisdom and critical thinking to our students. Teaching students the purpose and the WHYs of any active learning strategies starts with identifying the desired learning outcomes and performance objectives. Exploring critical thinking and problem-solving starts with gathering information that is germane. Finding, citing, and sorting through what is germane and a key to developing a deeper understanding is not an innate skill. Giving students discussion starters, word banks, question frames, completed two-column notes exemplars, and supportive scaffolding structures allows students to build critical learning and thinking skills.

I want my students to focus on developing highly effective learning and thinking strategies not adopting another school reform practice.

Things I always keep in mind when teaching my students any active learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving strategies! 

• Does the strategy help my students identify the key knowledge/details, problems presented, key ideas, and filter important details or solutions from distractors?
• Is the active learning strategy a logical and easily understood tool for gathering important information?
• Do the students know how to use the tools and strategies to evaluate the problems, evidence, key ideas, and important details that they have gathered?
• Is the strategy being taught a logical structure students can use and understand to consider solutions, answers, outcomes, and non-solutions?
• Are my students able to choose and implement multiple ways to analyze and solve problems?
• Are my students able to reflect, revise, and improve different aspects of their critical thinking and understanding, activate active listening, and are actively engaged in learning?

Active Listening & Note Takingstrategies for improving your overall listening and note taking skills you will hopefully find yourself more able to focus in class, and better able to determine what ...

Note-Taking StrategiesTechnology in the Classroom. Matching Note Taking Methods to Teaching Styles ... Types ofNote Taking. Strategies ... Draw or write notes on exis!ng PDF's.
Missing: active ‎| Must include: active

FIVE NOTE TAKING METHODS Maximizes active participation. Affords immediate knowledge toward understanding. Emphasizes critical thinking. Helps you visually track your ...

Effective Note-taking: the basics Debrief your strategies with the person next to you. ... Concentration – note-taking is active, rather than passive. ... ACTIVE Listening = Active LEARNING. • Notes ...

Note taking 101 - Eastern Florida State Collegecollege environment. Students who do NOT have good note taking skills will have difficulty ... “Active” listening is when you listen carefully to make sure you ...

Note Taking Strategies - Canada College note taking strategies may also be used to record notes from written sources. ... 4) Actively use the new knowledge by asking questions, anticipating next steps, and.

Introduction to Note Taking Note taking is an essential ...System of good note taking is an important study strategy. Actively listening and ... This strategy provides familiarity with terms, ideas and concepts discussed in lecture and leads to an active ... to-dos, lists and attaching images, and

note-taking in the 21 century: tips for instructors and students
just taking notes without engaging in review is not an effective strategy alone. STUDENT ... attention, active engagement, and attendance. Guided rather ... http://lsc.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf. •. Concept ...

Note-Taking TipsNote-Taking Tips. 1. ... taking such as walking while reading your notes, reading them ... maximizes active participation, organizes knowledge and emphasizes.

Note Taking Structures - Dunwoody CollegeAre active note-takers. ✓ Prepare so they know what to read and/or listen for. ✓ Make predictions about what will come next. ✓ Adjust their strategies for content ...

College Note TakingNote taking must be active and ongoing. Page 7. Characteristics of Good Notes. ▫ Good Notes: ○