Collaborative Note-taking and Its Impact on Writing Performance and Recall of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Within the pedagogical framework of higher education, note-taking is recognized as a crucial instrument, aiding learners in their pursuit of acquiring knowledge. As higher education para-digms shift towards interactive learning, collaborative note-taking has been posited as a potential enhancer of content engagement and understanding. However, the specific advantages of this collaborative approach remain unclear in practical terms. Our research, which included a group of 200 EFL students, aimed to methodically compare the outcomes of collaborative note-taking against traditional individual note-taking. We closely investigated measures of content retention and proficiency in academic writing as our primary indicators. The data revealed that, while students participating in collaborative note-taking displayed heightened content retention, their counterparts in the individual note-taking group exhibited superior skills in academic writing. These findings underscore a pivotal nuance: while collaborative note-taking can significantly improve memory retention, it may not inherently cultivate enhanced writing capabilities. This research contributes significantly to the discourse, suggesting that the efficacy of collaborative note-taking could depend on particular learning goals or the wider educational framework of a course.