Is It Time to Abandon the Notebook?

Not according to an article by Dave Terry on the D*I*Y Planner site. Terry gives eight reasons why a paper/pencil notebook is better than all the digital methods he’s tried. And he’s tried quite a few.  In his words:

1. I have more immediate access to the contents in meetings.
2. I can draw diagrams, system flows (pictures) AND write text on the same page.
3. I can write or draw in any direction on the page.
4. My drawings are easier to share with others on the team.
5. I never have to recharge it.
6. I can quickly scan weeks and months at a time, just by the flick of the wrist.
7. Analog is a memory aid. Drawing help me remember even if I never look at them again.
8. I can draw big diagrams in any meeting using the full spread of the open book. (17 x 11).

What do you think? Are digital tools making our lives more complicated than they need to be? Should we be encouraging or discouraging our students from using them? How do we teach students to decide when a tool is useful and when it isn’t? As I mentioned yesterday, I use a Palm Tungsten E2 to help keep me organized, but I also keep using a small notebook that I take with me everywhere. What do you use? How do you organize yourself, and how should we be teaching students to organize themselves?

Let’s talk about it. Leave a comment with your input.

Thanks to Lifehacker for the link to Terry’s article.