Digital vs Physical Flashcards: Which is better?
Flashcards are a great learning tool. But which one is better, the traditional, paper or cardboard physical flashcard set or a new age digital flashcard app?
Advantages of Physical Flashcards:
The biggest advantage is the flexibility. You can create any learning system you want and are not constrained by the software limitations or design.
The act of making and writing them out is part of the study process, which does improve memorability. However, this is often overstressed as in reality the effect is only small since the cards are created only once.
Physical flashcards can be used as stickers around the house. For example, if you are learning a foreign language, you can stick the translations on the items you use, like on mirrors and fridges.
The biggest advantage is the flexibility. You can create any learning system you want and are not constrained by the software limitations or design.
The act of making and writing them out is part of the study process, which does improve memorability. However, this is often overstressed as in reality the effect is only small since the cards are created only once.
Physical flashcards can be used as stickers around the house. For example, if you are learning a foreign language, you can stick the translations on the items you use, like on mirrors and fridges.
Disadvantages of Physical flashcards:
Once you get a few hundred flashcards they become really difficult to manage. It’s hard to find the specific flashcard; they take up a lot of space and are creating a mess. There are special flashcard holders, but even their capacity is quickly stretched.
Here is an example of the necessary equipment to carry around all the physical flashcards:
Once you get a few hundred flashcards they become really difficult to manage. It’s hard to find the specific flashcard; they take up a lot of space and are creating a mess. There are special flashcard holders, but even their capacity is quickly stretched.
Here is an example of the necessary equipment to carry around all the physical flashcards:
They are often not available for review when you need them. Potential study sessions during commute are lost because it’s inconvenient to carry around a deck of physical flashcards.
An open window with the wind, a playful pet or just a sneeze (flashcards are a bit of a dust collector) and here we are trying to put the flashcards in the right place. It’s just super easy to create a mess and lose progress.
Spelling mistakes are more likely to happen with physical flashcards as there isn’t an inbuilt dictionary to check spelling.
Finally, we learn better with more senses involved. Physical flashcards normally don’t have images and never have sound, which their digital counterparts always have.
Advantages of Digital Flashcards:
The biggest advantage of digital flashcards is that they are always available and easy to manage. You’ve heard a new word? You can add it straight away. You want to find a specific word in your deck? There are search and sorting functions.
Spaced repetition software, normally, being a part of digital flashcard apps is a huge improvement towards the study productivity. Here is a great article about the benefits of spaced repetition.
It’s possible to download and share whole study packs which makes it much easier to grow your vocabulary list.
Digital flashcards always come with images and audio support as well as flexible mini games which makes repetition a little easier and more fun.
An open window with the wind, a playful pet or just a sneeze (flashcards are a bit of a dust collector) and here we are trying to put the flashcards in the right place. It’s just super easy to create a mess and lose progress.
Spelling mistakes are more likely to happen with physical flashcards as there isn’t an inbuilt dictionary to check spelling.
Finally, we learn better with more senses involved. Physical flashcards normally don’t have images and never have sound, which their digital counterparts always have.
Advantages of Digital Flashcards:
The biggest advantage of digital flashcards is that they are always available and easy to manage. You’ve heard a new word? You can add it straight away. You want to find a specific word in your deck? There are search and sorting functions.
Spaced repetition software, normally, being a part of digital flashcard apps is a huge improvement towards the study productivity. Here is a great article about the benefits of spaced repetition.
It’s possible to download and share whole study packs which makes it much easier to grow your vocabulary list.
Digital flashcards always come with images and audio support as well as flexible mini games which makes repetition a little easier and more fun.
Finally, digital flashcards don’t need paper! Save those trees! And don’t create unnecessary waste.
Disadvantages of Digital flashcards:
Since they are on the phone or computer, this opens a door to a potential distraction. The screen time is also increased.
Digital flashcards apps might not have the functionality that you specifically need, so they are less flexible for specific niche user cases.
TLDR:
Digital flashcards are just better for most use cases. A mix of both techniques might have the strongest result.
A survey has found that the majority of people prefer digital flashcards over traditional, physical flashcards.
Our favorite digital flashcard app here is Karteto. Give it a try!
Disadvantages of Digital flashcards:
Since they are on the phone or computer, this opens a door to a potential distraction. The screen time is also increased.
Digital flashcards apps might not have the functionality that you specifically need, so they are less flexible for specific niche user cases.
TLDR:
Digital flashcards are just better for most use cases. A mix of both techniques might have the strongest result.
A survey has found that the majority of people prefer digital flashcards over traditional, physical flashcards.
Our favorite digital flashcard app here is Karteto. Give it a try!