Often I find myself just taking notes during lectures and not really following what is said. This has always been an issue for me, I do not seem to learn anything in the classroom. Instead the learning process starts right after when going through the notes.

On the other hand, I do somewhat feel more involved when attending to seminars (I have not attended to many), even though the subject is more advanced and sometimes way above my level.

I guess this is kind of a vague question, but are there any good techniques on how to become a good listener (the question can be split in two: one where you need to take complete notes, such as during a class, and the other case, e.g. seminars)?