Technology has made studying a lot easier over time, but it comes with some negative impacts also. Let's check out some of the pros and cons of using a laptop as you begin your firefighter promotional exam prep to help you decide if this technology is positive or negative for your study sessions. 

PROS

1. Take Notes Faster

One of the major benefits of using a laptop to help you study for your firefighter promotional exam is that it allows you to take notes so much faster than handwriting notes. This reduces the amount of time you spend staring at your textbooks. 

2. Access to the Internet

Using a computer to study for your firefighter promotional exam also gives you the benefit of having access to the internet. If you have any questions or need to do some research outside of your textbooks you can do a simple google search and get the help you need quickly. Having access to the internet also gives you access to more study tools, such as online practice tests, which can be highly beneficial to your studies.  

3. Mobile

Another great thing about using a laptop to study for your firefighter promotional exam is its mobility. You can take a laptop with you almost anywhere and have instant access to your study materials. Mobile study material can be extremely beneficial to someone who is often on the go. 

CONS

1. Take Too Many Notes

With the ease of typing comes the downside of overtyping. What I mean by this is, you may write down way more information than is necessary if you are taking notes from your textbook on your computer because it is so easy to do. If you take handwritten notes, you are more likely to condense the material into just the pertinent information. This makes it easier to study off of your notes and find information later on down the road because you won’t have a huge amount of information to sort through. 

2. Reduced Retention

Another negative effect associated with taking notes on a computer or tablet is it can reduce the overall retention of the material you are studying. This is because when you take notes on a computer it can be done with no engagement or processing of information. It is easy just to type words into your computer without organizing them or thinking about what it is you are typing. However, when you take notes by hand you are processing the information twice, once when you hear it and again when you write it, increasing the retention of the information. 

3. Distraction

A huge downside of using your laptop to study for your firefighter promotional exam is the distraction factor. You have access to social media, youtube, and so on if you are studying on your computer. You are much more likely to take what you thought would be a quick study break and end up down a rabbit hole wasting hours of your time that you should have spent studying on your firefighter promotional exam. 

The Takeaway

There are many benefits to using a laptop as a study tool, but remember it may also have some downsides. You know yourself, so use your best judgment when deciding to use your computer or not when it comes time to study for your firefighter promotional exam.