In an era increasingly dominated by digital technology, traditional methods of pen and paper are being supplemented by screens and keyboards in educational settings.
However, a recent study delving into the neural networks activated during handwriting versus typewriting has revealed intriguing insights: connectivity between different brain regions is notably more intricate when individuals form letters by hand.
This heightened brain connectivity, essential for memory formation and information retention, suggests that handwriting may play a vital role in facilitating learning processes. While the convenience and speed of keyboard typing are often touted as advantages, the act of handwriting has been linked to improved spelling accuracy and memory recall, partially due to the absence of autocorrect features that typewriting provides.
In order to determine whether the act of handwriting led to increased brain connectivity, scientists from Norway examined the neural networks engaged in both manual and typewritten writing processes.
“We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard,” said Prof Audrey van der Meer, a brain researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and co-author of the study published in Frontiers in Psychology.
“Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning.”
The study involved gathering EEG data from 36 university students who were instructed to either write or type words displayed on a screen. For the handwriting tasks, participants utilized a digital pen to trace cursive letters directly onto a touchscreen interface.
In contrast, typing involved the use of a single finger to press keys on a keyboard. Throughout each prompt, high-density EEGs, equipped with 256 small sensors woven into a net and positioned over the participants’ heads, recorded brain electrical activity for a duration of five seconds.
Analysis of the EEG data revealed enhanced connectivity between different brain regions during handwriting sessions, while no such increase was observed during typing tasks.
van der Meer said, “Our findings suggest that visual and movement information obtained through precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen contribute extensively to the brain’s connectivity patterns that promote learning.”
Keen observers may have raised concerns upon hearing about the use of a digital pen and touchscreen, as the study aimed to explore the neural networks involved in traditional pen and paper writing. However, the researchers maintain confidence that, from the brain’s perspective, the actions performed with the digital pen and touchscreen are analogous to those of pen and paper writing.
“We have shown that the differences in brain activity are related to the careful forming of the letters when writing by hand while making more use of the senses,” van der Meer explained.
Because it’s the finger movements involved in letter formation that stimulate brain connectivity, it’s anticipated that writing in print would produce a similar effect.
In contrast, the repetitive action of pressing a key with the same finger lacks the same level of brain stimulation.
“This also explains why children who have learned to write and read on a tablet, can have difficulty differentiating between letters that are mirror images of each other, such as ‘b’ and ‘d’. They literally haven’t felt with their bodies what it feels like to produce those letters,” van der Meer points out.
According to the researchers, their findings underscore the importance of allowing students to use pens instead of typing during class. Implementing guidelines to ensure that students receive a minimum level of handwriting instruction could be a beneficial measure.
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