Strategic knowledge in note-taking: An study in high education

Note-taking is one of the most widely used learning procedures in our university environment. Although it is an interdisciplinary procedure which, obviously, has a direct relation with the kind of discipline to be pursued by the student, it is not often used in a strategic manner. The present research study sought to analyse how, when, and why undergraduate students take notes. Our purpose was to improve current knowledge on the learning strategies students use in the university environment to optimize learning. The overall aim was to study changes in performance within learning contexts when the purpose of note-taking varies and decisions on what strategy to follow need to be taken. The results suggest the importance of strategic or conditional knowledge (strategic learners) when it comes to shaping a performance as strategic rather than the existence of highly-organized declarative knowledge about the subject of their note-taking. © 1999, Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.