Millennial parents and students still prefer pen and paper for productive learning

In today’s technology-driven culture, when it comes to education and productivity, students and parents still prefer paper. This according to a new report by the Paper and Packaging Board that found that about 8 in 10 people (79 percent) think that paper is essential to learning. 

The report “Paper and Productive Learning” found that 93 percent of college students and 87 percent of 7-12th grade students agree that paper is an essential part of being able to achieve their educational goals. 

Despite being tech savvy and pro-digital, millennials feel they learn information best if they write it down by hand. “Students tell us they remember more when reading in print. Not surprisingly, some report spending more time when reading print and reading more carefully than with digital texts,” says Dr. Naomi Baron, professor of Linguistics at American University.

Dr. Baron conducted a study of university students in five countries, finding that 92 percent said print is the best medium for reading when you’re trying to concentrate.

Some other key findings of the report:

• 96% of parents think that paper is “an essential part of children being able to achieve their educational goals.”
• 70% of junior high and high school students prepare for tests by taking handwritten class notes, while 60 percent uses flashcards.
• 50% of 7—8th grade students agree they “learn information best if they write it down by hand.”
• Among college students, 81 percent, say they always or often use paper tools to prepare for exams.

The report also lists some of the benefits of reading on paper, arguing that reading on paper “allows you to better concentrate on the material, which improves how well you remember and recollect it.”

For more information, visit the Paper and Packaging Board site. 

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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0