Note-taking and capturing lectures
If listening and writing at the same time is hard, and for many students it is, technology can capture what you would otherwise miss and keep it in one place across your devices. Lecture-capture tools that sync audio to the slides are particularly useful. Top tip: a recording only helps if you return to it, so make revisiting it part of your study routine rather than collecting hours of audio you will never replay. Recording also involves other people, so check before you record.
Note-taking software
- Microsoft OneNote: free on your account. It keeps typed notes, handwriting, slides and recordings together in one notebook that syncs across your devices.
- Genio (formerly Glean): records the lecture audio in time with the slides, so you can return to any moment and hear what the lecturer said about that slide. It was one of the most highly rated tools in our project, particularly for students who tire easily or find it hard to maintain attention. Available through Disability Services. Check your school's position on recording lectures first. Not every session can be recorded, and recordings should not be shared.
- Panopto: where many of your recorded lectures are already available, so you can review them. LJMU Panopto guide.
- Notability and GoodNotes: apps for handwritten notes on an iPad. Both are paid apps.
- Apple Notes, Samsung Notes, or your phone's notes app: free, and already on your phone.
- A plain audio recorder: sometimes the simplest option is the best one. If you get overwhelm with software, this might be your best choice.
