Time to Revive Handwriting

The skill of writing in cursive has lost its appeal in the digital age, but researchers say taking notes by hand improves recall and information processing. Studies demonstrate that notetaking while typing on a digital device results in a frantic attempt to copy every word said. However, jotting down notes by hand requires sifting through what is heard to capture only main ideas and salient examples. This sifting requires critical thinking and focus that do not occur when we are typing.

There is a happy medium: taking notes using a pen-friendly device. The following tools can be used to jot down notes on a digital screen:

• iPad Pro or recent iPads with an Apple pencil
• Apple’s Notes app
• GoodNotes app
• Ink-friendly PCs using OneNote and Microsoft’s SurfacePen
• Sony’s Digital Paper with a stylus
• Moleskine’s Smart Writing set

From The Wall Street Journal

Growing Stigma over Phone Rudeness

With people checking their smartphones on average every twelve minutes, it’s no wonder the phenomenon has acquired its own word: phubbing, the practice of ignoring others and focusing on a digital device. However, a backlash has begun. To curb our collective rudeness, new tools are being developed to remind us to pay attention to people instead of phones.

Apple has created several apps that work to limit time spent on its iPhones and iPads by warning users when they reach a predetermined limit. One app even locks the phone after a period of time. Likewise, Google has issued an app that alerts users to stop binging on YouTube and another offering the option to receive a single daily summary of notifications.

Enterprises, too, have joined this growing movement to discourage overuse of phones. Some restaurants have instituted phone-free days for their diners, while an increasing number of schools are requiring students to place their phones in holders as they enter a classroom.

As society continues to adapt to this relatively new technology, experts say more controls will emerge.

From The Telegraph

Discrimination Alive and Well in Workplace

Minority job applicants who mask their race improve their chances of landing interviews, according to research from the Harvard Business School. The researchers found that by removing reference to race, Asian and African-American job applicants were twice as likely to be called for an interview.

Harvard investigators sent out 1,600 résumés for Asian and African-American applicants looking for entry-level jobs. Some résumés highlighted the candidates’ race; others were “whitened,” removing all racial clues. Employers’ responses favored those applicants who had removed reference to race.

Even employers who claim to value diversity fared poorly, the study found. The researchers said this pointed out a disconnect between the organizations’ pro-diversity stances and their behaviors.

From Harvard Working Knowledge