Visual Thinking and Sketchnotes

Sketching, drawing, or scribbling in a lecture? This TED talk by Sunni Brown (see link) explains the purpose of sketch notes and doodles and why they're important and useful.

Sketch notes - notes which use images and drawings - are a form of visual thinking. Learners can use them for note taking and teachers for communicating content, meaning they can be a great aid in teaching and learning. Click on the link for an overview on sketch notes and why they can be useful in learning. Here, you'll also find out more about how sketch notes can provide the basis for lectures and seminars.

The best way to learn how to use sketch notes is simply to get started! It can take time and practice to create appropriate sketch notes, but the following video will help get started in the world of visual thinking and introduce you to how you can make use of them in your lectures and seminars.

Visual illustrations of processes and procedures make them easier to understand. So why not use sketch notes to give students an overview of your online lecture or seminar? It will make your plan and contents more transparent and help students to follow the progression more easily. Click on the linked video to see an illustration of how sketch notes can be used in online teaching and learning.

Sketch notes can make presentations visually appealing to an audience and also convey information in a way that is easy to understand. Click on the link to see a video that explains how sketch notes can provide the basis for a presentation.

You don't need to be an artist to start using sketch notes! You simply need to follow a few basic guidelines to start thinking visually. The accompanying video shows a mini workshop for those new to sketch notes and talks you through the what, why, and how of sketch noting.

Sketch notes are a fantastic way of making notes in a lecture or seminar as putting what you have heard into images helps you structure it and make it more memorable. If you want to work on this form of note taking, or encourage your students to, just follow the link to a detailed online course. It includes a detailed learning pathway and plenty of practical advice on sketch notes.