The activity of note taking crosses over all disciplines and has two characteristics: note taking helps students learn, and note taking helps students learn to write. Note taking fulfills two major functions: to record information and/or to aid reflection. Whether it is taking notes from lectures or from reading, note taking has been shown to improve student learning and is considered a high-yield instructional strategy (Marzano, 2001). This presentation will explore the purposes and benefits of effective note taking, the skills of active listening, note taking systems and approaches (visual, digital, and print; organizers/ models), and strategies before, during, and after taking notes.
