Meernotes

LQ: 8.5

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Brain grade: 8.8
Fun score: 8.2

Platform/Console: , , LWK Recommended Age: 6+ Thinking Skills Used: , Academic Skills Used:

Meernotes is a notetaking app that gives users the feel of using a real moleskine notebook. With an easy-to-use, touch-based interface, Meernotes can help facilitate the development of creative projects, or simply be used a practical medium for note-taking. Options for handwriting or typewriter fonts give the app a particularly retro feel. Users can select from a collection of stylish notebooks, into which they can import photos to match their notes. Meernotes automatically generates a table of contents when a new notebook is opened, and users can also seamlessly sync their notes with cloud-based apps like DropBox, Evernote, and iCloud, allowed work to be accessed from any mobile device. Since users must have some grasp on writing to use the app, it is recommended for children ages 6 and older.


This app is good for kids who need help with:

Organization

Arranging and coordinating materials in order to complete a task.

In each Meernotes notebook, there is an index tab. Under the index tab, users will find each entry categorized in a table of contents, making written material easy to find. Users can add and delete tabs on their table of contents, and organize their digital notebook like they would a subject binder. Users may want to have a notebook for each school subject, as well as a few extras for non-school related entries. Like a real moleskine notebook, Meernotes features a limited amount of characters per page. That way, pages do not become cluttered with too much content. Meernotes is inherently organizational, and if users create their own tabs and manage their table of contents, their digital notebook may even replace handwritten notes.

Flexibility

Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations.

Adapting to digital note-taking takes some getting used too, so when starting to use Meernotes, users should balance their handwritten material with Meernotes entries. The ability to shift between two different formats of writing forces users to adapt their note-taking strategies to accommodate the medium they are using. Users will fare better using traditional notebooks for subjects like math and science, where there are more diagrams, formulas and problems to work out, while Meernotes may be more useful in a history or English class. Meernotes could even prove to be a secondary note taking strategy. After notes are taken manually in class, users can create an abridged version using Meernotes, as a way to reinforce and better understand the material. Because writing on the touch screen keypad may be a slower process than handwriting, users should take more concise notes, focusing only on broad and important concepts, avoiding getting bogged down with too much detail. Ultimately, it is up to the user to decide what the format works best for, and an ability to utilize both handwritten and digital writing will help users to create clear, concise notes by balancing detail with brevity.

Writing

Meernotes allows users to take notes in any format that suits their needs. Whether users choose Cornell style notes or another system for maintaining information, they must develop a way to organize and present their writing and thoughts clearly. Furthermore, Meernotes is more than just an alternative way to take notes. The app also encourages users write creatively. Users can create specific notebooks dedicated to their own prose, poetry  stories, and even songs. Practicing writing outside the pressures of an academic setting can help users to feel more comfortable and willing practice writing skills via the app.

In order to get the most out of Meernotes, try some of the suggestions below and see what works for your child.

Organization Activity

Have your child set up a notebook for each major subject or category that he wants to take notes on. While he could use the Meernotes notebooks for classroom subjects, also encourage him maintain a journal or other more personal writing space. Every time he sits down to take notes or write in Meernotes, he must choose an appropriately related notebook, create and name a new page to store information, and make sure the table of contents coincides with his organizational needs. Even though the table of contents automatically formats itself, your child should also date each entry, to ensure his notebook is organized by both subject and date.

Flexibility Activity

Encourage your child to familiarize himself with the available tools and options the app offers, and explain how writing digitally offers it own unique sets of strengths and weaknesses over traditional writing. There are various fonts, colors, and other customizing features that can help your child create stylistic effects and easily organize academic information. However, logging notes via a touch screen might not be as efficient as traditional hand-and-paper writing.

To further engage your child's flexibility, explain that he should experiment with different note-taking strategies. If your child does not take good notes in class, urge him to use Meernotes for a day. Was this a better way for your child to engage with the material? Compare his handwritten notes with his digital notes. Were there differences in length and content? Sometimes children struggle to focus in on important content. Meticulous notes can be great, but too much content can make studying difficult for some students. Using Meernotes alongside handwritten notes can make it easier to outline the highlights of a lesson, while still writing out big chunks of information by hand.

Writing

Challenge your child to keep a daily journal, using Meernotes as a fun way to catalogue his thoughts. Since Meernotes is a mobile app, encourage your child to add content to the journal throughout the day, noting any funny or interesting things that happen. He can then sync his notebook to DropBox or iCloud to instantly save his writing and share it with friends or family. Set time aside each day for a quick writing session, and if your child has no idea what to write about, try giving him a fun prompt or story starter to work off of.

 

Meernotes & ADHD

Staying organized throughout the duration of an academic course is a skill that many children with ADHD struggle to master. Scattered loose-leaf notes, misplaced quizzes, and forgotten syllabi can make it hard for those who are disorganized to perform to their full academic potential. Meernotes, is a note-taking app that works well for children with ADHD, as the notebooks, font, and color scheme can be personalized, making reviewing and writing notes both engaging and easy to manage.

How to Use Meernotes for Children with ADHD

  • Writing out information on plain notebook paper can sometimes seem monotonous to children with ADHD, so use Meernotes to break up the repetition of traditional class notes. Encourage your child to use colors to organize and personilze content.  Just ensure your ADHD child does not become too dependent on Meernotes, as it is not great medium for taking notes for classes like math and science. It should be used in moderation, as a way to engage children with ADHD in the writing process, allowing them to take a more stylistic approach to taking notes.
  • Meernotes can also be a powerful organization app for children with ADHD. Not only can children create notebooks for each subject in class, they also create a table of contents where they can introduce new topics, chapters, and units into an existing subject folder. Eventually, a Meernotes pad will begin to resemble a well organized, digital binder - if organized properly. However, children must remember to maintain an orderly table of contents, adding a tab whenever a new topic is introduced.
  • Because Meernotes is such an engaging app, children with ADHD will enjoy using it as a medium for notes. But moleskine notebooks are traditionally associated with creative writing. Children should create a separate notebook for creative entries. Children with ADHD may balk at the opportunity at first, but once they get started writing entries into a moleskin, ideally they will recognize its appeal. Creative writing encourages children to express themselves, and can prove to be the catalyst for making behavioral changes. Children should take time to write about how ADHD affects them, which will allow them to analyze and hopefully change some of their less desirable behaviors.

Meernotes is just one option for taking notes in an app. Try out some of the alternatives below, and let us know which one is your favorite in the comment box at the bottom of the page.

Evernote

Evernote is a powerful notetaking tool that offers much more in-depth features than Meernotes. Users can copy and paste text as needed, rearrange notes easily, and sync notes with other devices quickly. Find out more on the Beyond Games page for Evernote.

YouNote!

YouNote! is a really great note taking app that allows users to take notes in multiple formats including voice recording, text, video, and more. Find out more on our Beyond Games page for YouNote!

Penultimate

This app is very similar in style to Meernotes, but offers more powerful features. Users can write by hand or insert text, images, and other features into their notes. Find out more here.

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