Preliminary Evaluation of NoteBlogger:
Public Note-Taking in the Classroom

K. M. Davis, University of California, San Diego
Michael Kelly, University of California, San Diego
Roshni Malani, University of California, San Diego
William G. Griswold, University of California, San Diego
Beth Simon, University of California, San Diego

Note-taking in classes is a prevalent activity for most students in higher education. Though notes are of significant educational value to students, their note-taking abilities can be improved [2]. Also common in lecture courses is unidirectional communication, which may cause diminished comprehension, unnoticed misconceptions, or lessened interest among students. We claim that the use of a tool for public note-taking by a handful of students can address these issues for many students in the classroom.
NoteBlogger (NB), a Tablet PC-based application, allows self-selected "blogger" students to ink notes in class on top of the instructor’s prepared slides and live ink. Other student "watchers" can view the blogs via a Web interface. We deployed NB in two university courses, interviewed both bloggers and watchers, and analyzed the contents of the blogs. Bloggers consciously established a range of public note-taking styles, from traditional note-taking that emphasized clarity and organization, to alternative explanations of the material, to problem-solving hints for their audience. Watchers used the blogs heavily and reported a positive impact on their learning experience. We found evidence that NB’s ambient communication medium succeeded in actively engaging students in classroom activity, in particular by enabling in-class peer instruction with minimal distraction.