Why Notion ISN'T a Note-Taking App

Summary

The video argues that Notion—and other text-based apps—can be useful for organizing information, reference notes, and project work, but are often ineffective as the main way to learn. The speaker’s central point is that taking notes and learning are not the same activity: typing down information can create a record to study later without helping you understand or remember it in the moment.

Why note-taking can hinder learning

• Learning depends on encoding information into long-term memory. The speaker outlines a memory model in which information enters sensory memory, may reach working memory when attended to, and must then be encoded into long-term memory for later use.
• Typing what a teacher says can be too passive. If students focus on capturing words, they may not pause to interpret, connect, or question the material. The notes preserve the lecture, but the student may leave class having done little learning.
• Recognition can be mistaken for knowledge. Familiar-looking notes can make material seem mastered. But recognizing information on a page is different from recalling it or applying it without the page.
• Retrieval practice has limits. Active recall and spaced repetition can help retrieve knowledge, but their effectiveness is constrained by how well the information was understood and encoded in the first place. Flashcards can also become overwhelming, and memorized answers may not transfer well to differently phrased questions.
• Linear notes may not reflect how knowledge is organized. Topics such as biology or physics involve networks of connected ideas. A page of headings and bullet points may capture facts while missing relationships among them.
• Taking exhaustive notes can be a sign of uncertainty. Trying to record everything may prevent students from identifying what matters most and leave too much material to review later. It can also double the workload if note-taking merely postpones the actual learning.

Suggested approach

The speaker recommends shifting attention from capturing information to processing it:

• During class, prioritize understanding over transcription.
  • Listen to the ideas and consider what they mean.
  • Ask how they connect to one another and to material you already know.
  • Sort out which points are central and which are less important.
• Accept some productive difficulty. Making an effort to interpret and organize material can improve encoding. The challenge should be manageable: too little effort can make learning passive, while too much confusion is counterproductive.
• Take fewer, more purposeful notes. Notes can help with processing, but should not become a word-for-word record of everything covered.
• Use other notes selectively. If you miss details while focusing on understanding, consult a classmate’s or other available notes afterward to fill gaps.
• Represent connected ideas visually where appropriate. Mind maps and flowcharts may better show relationships than a strictly top-to-bottom page of text. The speaker suggests experimenting to find formats that suit the subject.
• Treat tools as secondary to learning behavior. Whether using Notion, an iPad, or paper matters less than what the learner is doing cognitively.

The speaker is not arguing that Notion is useless. He says he continues to use it for reference notes and project or group work, but does not recommend it as his primary tool for learning course material.

Speakers and sources

• Archer Newton — the video’s speaker, who introduces himself as a medical student.
• Dr. Justin Sung — referenced for an explanation of the multi-store model of memory.
• “Kay” — credited by the speaker with a productivity model involving self-awareness, fundamentals, tools, and behavior change; the subtitles do not provide further identification.
• Unspecified research — the speaker briefly mentions research comparing typing with writing, drawing, or sketching, but gives no specific study or researcher.