When purchasing a computer for your child, consider his workspace and what he’ll need the computer to do. Creators.com photo courtesy of By- Lines A student’s success in school is measured by the assignments completed and tests he takes. The students who garner the best grades and do well in class are often those who are effective listeners and note-takers.

Professor Dennis Jertz of Seton Hall University has said that taking lecture notes effectively is one of the skills students must learn to make the transition from high school to college careers. Notetaking is also necessary in the business world, making it a worthwhile skill to learn.

Learning Note-taking

It may not seem as such, but notetaking can almost be a lesson all its own. If only students could enroll in Note-Taking 101. Some elementary and highschool teachers attempt to teach strategies for taking notes, including developing outlines, but many students still struggle to maintain the essentials as they move through school. It can be confusing knowing just how much to write down without creating a novel or having notes so scant that they provide little information when it comes time to study.

There are many systems of note-taking that a student can learn. These include using graphic representations to map out interconnected concepts. Outlines or charts can group terminology together with related ideas. There are other techniques that use cue words to trigger recollection of facts and dates. Mnemonic devices help recall information. Students can experiment with different methods until they find a system that works well and offers measurable success.

Improving Listening Skills

No matter what method of note-taking is used, adequate listening skills are necessary to take effective notes. This helps students transfer what the professor is saying into ideas that can be put down on paper. Staring off into space or having your mind drift can cause a student to miss out on key parts of a lecture. To improve note-taking skills, a student must first improve listening skills.

* Sit up closer to the teacher or professor. This enables eye-to-eye contact that may help a student focus. It may also trigger visual clues to a professor to gauge whether the class is catching on or missing what’s being taught. It’s also advantageous from a practical standpoint. It enables students to better hear what’s going on. If the professor is garbled or inaudible when sitting far away, moving closer is essential, especially in a large lecture hall.

* Remove distractions. When a student enters the classroom, he or she should be ready to learn. That means silencing mobile devices and gearing the mind toward the lessons. Not every lecture will be exhilarating, so students should make a conscious effort to pay attention. Limiting distractions can help.

* Use an assistance device. Students who are prone to “zoning out” may want to ask permission to use a voice recorder. This way if key elements of the lesson are missed, they can be played back. This method also helps students fill in gaps when taking or studying notes.

Keys To Note-taking

Once listening skills have improved, students can go onto to other note-taking pointers.

* Sequencing material is important, so notes should be dated and numbered. If references are made to chapters that correlate to the textbook, jot those down so they can strengthen the notes.

* Charles Kettering, an American engineer and inventor, said, “There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it.” When jotting down notes, a student who discovers that something seems unclear can ask for clarification or make a point to research that component further.

* Students should consider writing notes on one side of the page so that they can each be laid out side-by-side. Looseleaf paper works well, or notes can be typed and printed out.

* Students should develop their own method of abbreviations and symbols to cut down on the amount of writing needed. Notes needn’t be in full sentences; phrases are equally effective.

* If a professor writes something on a chalkboard, puts text up on a projector or repeats something several times, it should definitely be written down. There is a good chance that information will be on the test.

* Students may want to review notetaking strategies with one another. Maybe there is a succesfful method employed by one student that he or she can share with classmates.

* Rewriting or typing notes helps ingrain the information in the brain more than simply rereading it.

Note-taking is an important skill many students should make the effort to learn. Improved test scores can lead to a higher grade point average. This, in turn, can help with success in school and beyond.

With the onslaught of students opting for online research and leaving the reference books to collect dust on the library shelves, many parents are left to wonder: Do computers limit students by making good old-fashioned research in books obsolete? Or do they help students to learn by providing access to a worldwide classroom?

Jeff Gordon, father of a 15-year-old girl, shares that he began to feel that a computer was a necessity when the computer became “a timesaver. When the writing homework increased, we soon became aware that a computer with Microsoft Office was going to knock off a half-hour from her homework time. Handwriting or using a typewriter doesn’t cut the mustard.” Gordon also runs “I Want an Education,” a career-related blog for teens and young adults who are looking for educational and social answers. “Ultimately, when the teacher gives homework assignments that include the use of a computer, then it’s time.”

Hafiz Norhashim, a developer for Gnowledge, an online depository for test papers, believes that children who are 8 or older benefit greatly from access to the Internet. “Children who use the Internet can also benefit from potentially better time management, as looking up resources online is fast and simple and is certainly useful, although supervision is recommended,” he says. “Using technology can certainly be speedier than their local library, for instance, and can give them a level of interactivity after school hours beyond typical homework assignments and reading textbooks.” He adds that the most effective use of the Internet for learning is when teachers assign specific projects and oversee the results.

Computers for Youth, a national program that seeks to provide computers for low-income students, uses sixth grade as a pivotal time because “children begin to disengage from academics, parents begin to feel less capable of helping with increasingly complex homework assignments, and academic achievement begins to decline.”

Vickie Smith, president of the publishing company Ark Essentials, doesn’t concur that children need their own computers until they are ready for college, but she does agree that younger school-age children need access to a home computer. “As long as kids are still at home, a desktop is the most costeffective, durable and practical solution,” says Smith, who has a background in education and home-schooled her own children until the demands of her business interfered.

Adult student Harry Hawk, who is dyslexic, provides an interesting perspective about the advantages of computers for students. “I got my first computer in 1979 when I entered college. Before that, it was very hard for me to write papers. One teacher in fifth grade allowed me to submit reports by tape recorder.”

Hawk, who has two master’s degrees, explains: “For a student like me who has trouble copying information, a corrected paper that has to be rewritten or retyped means more mistakes because each new copy introduces new mistakes. With a word processor, you just change the parts that are bad, and though that can introduce some errors, it doesn’t create errors in the good text.” Hawk says that for students like him, the earlier the access to computers the easier the learning can be.

If you don’t have any personal experience in purchasing a computer, ask a friend who is knowledgeable to help you. You’ll need to understand terms such as processing speed and RAM and what operating system to use. Also, determine whether a desktop or a laptop is right for you and your student. College students enjoy the portability of a laptop, but you have to consider the screen size and accessibility to peripherals, such as printers. Consider your budget. You should be able to find desktops starting at $400; laptops cost slightly more. Maintenance and service on laptops are generally more expensive, as well. The big question to ask yourself is: What do you want your computer to do?