In its simplest form, Visual Note Taking (which we'll call Sketchnoting) is a way to take notes that utilizes images for big ideas/concepts. Colors and lettering can also be a part of the Sketchnoting process. According to Ditch That Textbook author Matt Miller:

• What if we did more of this in class? These types of notes could be huge for visual learners, and fellow classmates’ representations of the day’s lesson could be huge for a learner who is struggling with a particular topic.
  
• What if we put more emphasis on the big take-away lessons? So often, we have our list of content to cover in a unit or a school year. At times, we lay the lessons out wide and shallow instead of digging deep to emphasize the most important ideas. Sometimes, those key take-away lessons can get lost in a sea of lesser facts.
  

It should be no surprise that visualizing concepts helps the brain learn a concept better. When someone incorporates images to represent main ideas or concepts from an article or lecture, it forces the brain to decide which information is worth doodling down and how best to represent it.

Going back through the Sketchnote with colors and jazzing up the fonts after the initial sketch reinforces the idea that reviewing notes shortly after taking them helps the information absorb better.

As for students, especially those identified as gifted, there are many who are visual-spatial learners. Traditional note taking methods such as Cornell, although a strong strategy, are not always the best way for these type of learners to take notes. Sketchnoting allows these students to see "the big picture" and concepts visually. The layout of the images engages the spatial reasoning in a student.

Students should start with Sketchnoting articles for class or perhaps taking traditional notes and turning them into Sketchnotes. This gives the students time to visualize and review with colors/lettering. Eventually, students can begin to Sketchnote lectures, videos, presentations, etc.

Although you can always sketchnote with a standard pen and notebook, there are some great options for digital sketchnoting.

http://downloads.savage.si/files/Procreate-User-Guide.pdf

https://sites.google.com/view/creativeapptitude/procreate?authuser=0

There are more resources out there than could possible all fit on this Smore. Below are a few that include even more resources and "how tos."

Email: oriskypj@mvschool.org
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