15 powerful reasons to use doodle notes with your students

I’ve always struggled to help students make notes that include all the important information, are easy to study and remember, and differentiated so they make sense to every student. That was, until I learned about all the reasons to use Doodle Notes™! 

Doodle notes are a visual note-taking method that allows students to learn by creating visual representations of the material they are studying. These have completely transformed the way I have students record notes in my class and I couldn’t be happier. Students are interacting with the content, they are able to be creative, and they are able to visualise their notes when it comes to reflecting on them for examinations.

In this blog post I will share with you what Doodle Notes are, ways you can use them effectively, and 15 reasons to use doodle notes to benefit you and your students in the classroom.

Disclaimer: This blog post, ’15 reasons to use doodle notes with your students’, may contain affiliate links. Read full disclaimer here. Note: “Doodle Notes” is a trademarked term used with permission. Please visit doodlenotes.org for more information.station activities in the classroom

What are doodle notes?

“Doodle notes” (TM) are a unique visual note-taking method with built-in features that increase focus and memory by taking advantage of a collection of brain research. The brain converts blends of visual and linguistic information into long-term memory more easily. This form of visual note-taking allows students to remember and process new information more easily. These are great reasons to use Doodle notes alone!

The term “Doodle notes” is a trademarked term (used here with permission), and resources that meet the criteria as Doodle Notes need to have the following requirements:

• Visual triggers or analogies specific to the lesson material,
• Images that work with text to initiate dual coding
• Space for student doodling and tasks for student interaction
• Opportunities for students to add their own flair through coloring, drawing, and embellishing
• Creative layout of text and images that are designed for brain-based learning.

The combination of these requirements make Doodle Notes a very powerful tool to use in the classroom.

Here are some examples of doodle notes below:

How to use doodle notes in your classroom

Being such a diverse resource, Doodle Notes can be used in a wide range of situations or learning opportunities.

For example: 

1. Give to students to take notes during teacher direct instruction or exposition
2. Use during an educational video
3. Provide with revision slides to help students complete as revision
4. Have students complete for homework to demonstrate their learning
5. Allow students to bring a completed one in for use in an open book test
6. Use with a partner as a type of think, pair and share

reasons to use doodle notes in the classroom

15 reasons to use doodle notes with your students

So now that you know what doodle notes are and how you can use them, here are 15 reasons to use Doodle Notes in your classroom!

1. Increased Engagement: Doodle notes provide an engaging way to learn, allowing students to visually represent and connect the material they are learning. Doodle Notes are way less intimidating for students to start taking notes with than starting with a blank page. It helps students get started as there are many ways they can engage with the page.

2. Better Focus: Doodling while taking notes can actually help students focus on the material they are learning, as it keeps their mind active and engaged. It also allows students to take their own ‘brain breaks’ during their use. If they need a rest from writing notes, students can choose to color or doodle to provide their brain that rest time. Once rested they are able to re-focus again at a higher level.

3. Improved Memory Retention: Doodling while taking notes can help students retain information better than traditional note-taking methods. This is due to the visual triggers and dual-coding. Dual-coding involves using multiple stimuli that allows the brain to remember the information more easily and also retrieve it more easily later on. 

4. Personalization: Doodle notes allow students to create their own personal connections with the material and create a unique representation of what they are learning. They are free to add their own drawings, colors, arrows and connections so that it makes sense to them personally.

5. Creativity: Doodle notes allow for creativity, which can help students think outside the box and approach learning in a unique way. This is even more important in subjects that may not be innately creative such as maths and science. 

6. Accessibility: Doodle notes are accessible to all learners, including those with learning disabilities, visual learners, and those who prefer a more hands-on approach to learning. Every student can access them to their own level.

7. Fun: Doodle notes are a fun way to learn and can help break up the monotony of traditional note-taking methods. Students enjoy choosing which colors to use, what to ‘doodle’ on their page and how to interpret the visual cues.

8. Improved Comprehension: Doodle notes help students better understand and comprehend complex material, as they are able to visually represent different pieces of information. It also helps students connect ideas, content and examples together which helps students deepen their level of understanding.

 reasons to use doodle notes in the classroom

9. Encourages Active Learning: Doodle notes encourage students to actively engage with the material they are learning, rather than passively listening to a lecture or video. Even if students are only coloring the diagrams, it allows their brain to connect the diagrams with what they are hearing.

10. Improved Organization: Doodle notes help students organize their thoughts and ideas, making it easier to recall information later on. 

11. Provides a Study Tool: Doodle notes serve as a study tool that students can refer back to when studying for exams or completing assignments. They are an excellent study resource due to the visual impact they have, as they are easier to bring to mind when trying to recall the information.

reasons to use doodle notes in the classroom

12. Promotes Critical Thinking: Doodle notes promote critical thinking, as students must think about the material they are learning and determine how best to represent it visually. This is one of my favorite reasons to use doodle notes!

13. Provides opportunity for assessment: Doodle notes provide opportunity for students to demonstrate what they learnt or understood from a lecture, class learning etc. It is easy for teachers to quickly assess by having a look at how students have completed the doodle notes.

14. Improved Teacher-Student Relationships: Using doodle notes can help improve teacher-student relationships, as it allows for more interactive and engaging classroom experiences. 

15. Easy Differentiation: Doodle notes are immediately differentiated as students will engage with the material in a way that makes sense to them. You could further differentiate by adding extra or different prompts, providing a list of key terms, or providing some more scaffolded notes like cloze passages.

reasons to use doodle notes in the classroom

Conclusion

There are many reasons to use doodle notes with your students. Not only do they provide an engaging and fun way to learn, but they also promote critical thinking, improve memory retention, and provide a study tool for students.

By incorporating doodle notes into your teaching practice, you can help create a positive learning experience for your students and help to improve their overall academic performance.

Do you use doodle notes in your classroom?

What are your favorite reasons to use doodle notes with your students? Comment below!

Don’t forget to visit my store to pick up some ready made doodle notes!

reasons to use doodle notes in the classroom