Sketchnoting: Turning Doodles Into a Learning Experience

I suppose I have always been a doodler. But most of my doodles stemmed from boredom: circles, stars, flowers, and squiggles. I also really enjoy a handwritten list. I’ve been known to write something on my list that was already done, just so I could cross it off. I filled up post-it notes, had a cute, Pinterest-inspired, framed To-Do List, and wrote all over my reading table with whiteboard markers. All in the name of organization!

About six months ago, I took a new position as an educational technology consultant and I felt I really needed to be more digital.  I mean, can you imagine sitting in a meeting with teachers and pulling out a notebook to take notes? Gasp! How embarrassing!  I was supposed to be a technology expert! So I diligently kept notes in my Google docs and loyally filed it into its correct Drive folder. I got rid of my post-its and didn’t bother carrying a pen. I was committed. I started to realize, however, that I left meetings not sure of the exact course of the conversation.  I was unclear of my next steps. This really puzzled me. It was unfamiliar and unsettling.

One day I was in a meeting with my team and one of my teammates happened to mention that she noticed I was doing a little bit of sketchnoting, which was one of her passion projects she was really engaged in. I hadn’t really realized I was writing or doodling, but it was like a lightbulb went off. Going ‘digital’ had limited my ability to write my thoughts, draw arrows, make lists.  But I also became intrigued in the idea of sketchnoting and started to do a little research.

What is sketchnoting? This video from Sketcho Frenzy explains it.

Getting started. I started with Sketchnoting: 101.  There is an extensive list of ways to get started on this site.  I’m not naturally artistic and was a bit intimidated by so much sketching involved in my notes.  I started by looking at sketches by other sketchnoters (see below) to get ideas of how to sketch frames, connectors (like arrows, lines), and try some different lettering types. I practiced them so they would become familiar and more automatic, although I’m not there yet!

Then, I began researching and sketchnoting what I learned. I read the research from Mueller and Oppenheimer and watched this Sunni Brown video, called ‘Doodlers, unite!‘ among other resources (see below) I found in my Google search.  The benefits of sketchnoting were obvious.

1. Encouraged enhanced engagement
2. Allowed for personalized organization
3. Increased recall AND comprehension
4. Engaged active listening
5. Activated creativity
6. Improved communication of ideas and thought processes
7. Provided opportunities for reflection and feedback
8. Enjoyable!
   
   
   
   Sharing your sketchnote is important too!

I began to wonder about adding this note-taking strategy in classrooms.  I found this blog about using it in a second grade classroom. I could envision these students, of all types and capabilities, excitedly sharing their drawings and explaining their thinking--not with graphic organizers, but with their own, personalized organization of ideas and thoughts.  I wondered about a wall of sketchnotes in a classroom that became a timeline of learning, connecting ideas and new learning throughout a whole school year. I started imagining students coming home with a sketchnote journal each night to reflect on their learning with parents, instead of meaningless homework and worksheets that go straight to the recycling bin. The classroom possibilities are endless. 

Sketchnoting is a powerful tool that I hope to see in more classrooms in the near future. Regardless of abilities, sketchnoting proves to be an effective tool for learners of all types and abilities. So...good ahead! Give it a try!

If you are looking to learn more about sketchnoting, here are a few resources to get you started.

Sketchnoting 101: How to get started

Sketchnoting on iPad with Sylvia Duckworth

Kathy Schrock's Guide to Sketchnoting

With second grade

Lessons to get you started


Doodle on,
Mindy

3D printing in an Elementary Classroom: Tales of the first year!

        Seeing things printed, in 3D, right before your eyes can be pretty amazing. This not only goes for the students but for me, and other adults in the building. It's somewhat "magical" to see a computer image become something you can hold in your hand.

        This is our first year using our new 3D printer, fondly named Ruby by my class. Giving it a name has been fun and gives it a human like personality, if a printer can possibly have a personality. In a 1st and 2nd grade classroom one sure can.

       We began our journey with Ruby this year by learning the vocabulary and some of the components that came with her. Her filament, perf board, nozzle as well as the raft, degree of solid material used and any supports she may use to aid in creating a model have expanded our knowledge base. She is helping us use and learn about how easy it is to incorporate STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Math) into an elementary classroom setting in new and exciting ways.
   
     Then we moved on to our first classroom project by starting our research. A little like our Passion Projects, students were able to choose an animal from Haiti to research. This research lead to fact cards for each animal. These fact cards along with multiple copies of models for each animal, will be part of a set of educational tools to be used by students in poor villages in Haiti later this month.

     To say it has been flawless would be a lie. We have learned that sometimes Ruby doesn't like the design we have chosen so she doesn't print it accurately, or at all in some cases. (Our problem, not hers) We have learned she can only do what she is told because despite her human like qualities we have given her, she is only a computer and can only respond as such. We have learned that she does her job very well when we (the students and the teacher) tell her exactly what to do and provide her with what she needs to do that job. She is pretty amazing!

     Regardless of the number of prints we do, each time she works on something for us it's hard to not be somewhat intrigued and want to watch her work, for at least part of the time. And of course when she beeps to tell us she is finished checking out her completed task is a must! Even so, she works so quietly that it's easy to continue on with our daily classroom routine as she prints.

   As we continue through the rest of this year look for more about the trials and tribulations with our friend Ruby. Students will soon be creating their own code for her to print unique designs. I'm sure she will let us know if she doesn't agree with what the students have told her to do and am certain she will continue to help our students build their STREAM skills along the way!

Happy 2016!
-Lynn