Why Visual Note-Taking Is Changing Classrooms—and Why It Matters for You
What Is Visual Note-Taking?
Why Visual Note-Taking Works Better for Learning
Core Visual Note-Taking Techniques for Education
Top Tools for Visual Note-Taking in Education
Modern technology has expanded the possibilities for visual note-taking tools, offering powerful solutions for both students and educators:
Scrintal: Visual Canvas with Connected Notes
Best suitable for: Educators, students, and researchers who need to see connections between complex concepts
Scrintal stands out among visual note-taking for education options with its unique approach that combines visual canvas organization with powerful note-taking capabilities.
Unlike traditional note-taking apps that force information into folders and tags, Scrintal provides an infinite canvas where you can arrange your thoughts spatially—just as you would spread papers across a desk. This spatial approach mirrors how our brains naturally work—we don't think in folders and tags, but in connections and relationships.
Key features that make Scrintal a compelling visual note-taking tool for education include:
Visual Canvas: Arrange notes spatially to match how your brain naturally organizes information
Connected Notes: Create visual links between related ideas with bi-directional linking
Floating Tab Function: Open PDFs, videos, and websites alongside your notes without switching windows—perfect for research and studying
Flexible Organization: Use docs, blocks, boards, and tags to structure information
A history professor who adopted Scrintal shared: "My lecture preparation used to involve juggling multiple windows and losing track of connections between historical periods. With Scrintal's visual canvas, I can arrange primary sources, lecture notes, and multimedia resources spatially, making connections visible. It's transformed how I prepare and present complex historical narratives."
Most exciting for educators and students alike, Scrintal includes an AI assistant designed to work alongside you—not replace your thinking process. Unlike other AI tools that take over your workflow, Scrintal's AI acts as a creative partner that helps brainstorm ideas, summarize concepts, and transform your visual boards into polished reports—all while leaving you in complete control.
Here's how educators and students can use Scrintal's AI Assistant:
Ask any prompt and drag and drop the reply to your canvas
Select any documents and blocks, click on the send to AI button
Edit, arrange, and tweak the content on your canvas
Scrintal also launched an AI Research Assistant to further enhance knowledge management capabilities, particularly valuable for academic work. You can register here to be among the first to experience this powerful feature.
Scrintal's Pro plan ($9.99/month) provides access to all features, with a free plan coming in June 2025. For educators and students dealing with complex information that benefits from visual organization, the investment often pays dividends through improved comprehension and retention.
Want to experience how Scrintal's visual approach transforms education? Register here with a special discount code.
Microsoft OneNote: Free-form Canvas for Education
Best suitable for: Educators and students already using Microsoft products who need flexible note organization
Microsoft OneNote provides a flexible canvas where you can place text, images, and drawings anywhere on the page. Its organization into notebooks, sections, and pages mirrors traditional school notebooks while adding digital advantages.
"OneNote transformed how I take lecture notes," shared a university student. "I can type main concepts in one area, add diagrams to another part of the page, and connect them with drawn arrows. It feels natural and helps me see relationships between topics."
Key features for education:
Free with Microsoft account
Handwriting-to-text conversion
Audio recording synchronized with notes
Strong integration with other Microsoft educational tools
Google Jamboard: Simple Collaborative Visual Workspace
Best suitable for: Classrooms using Google Workspace needing real-time collaboration
Google's digital whiteboard offers an accessible entry point for visual collaboration in educational settings. Its simplicity makes it ideal for younger students or those new to visual note-taking.
"My fifth-grade students use Jamboard for collaborative concept mapping," noted an elementary teacher. "They can work together in real-time adding sticky notes and drawings to explore science concepts, even when some students are learning remotely."
Miro: Advanced Collaborative Visual Learning
Best suitable for: Higher education and project-based learning requiring sophisticated visual collaboration
Miro's infinite canvas supports real-time collaboration, making it ideal for group projects and visual brainstorming. Its extensive template library includes options specifically designed for education.
A college professor shared: "For semester-long group projects, my engineering students use Miro to visually map out their design process. The ability to combine diagrams, research notes, and prototyping plans in one visual space has significantly improved project outcomes."
Traditional Paper and Pen
Best suitable for: Situations with limited technology access or when reducing digital distractions is important
Despite the advantages of digital tools, traditional visual note-taking with paper and colored pens remains effective in many educational contexts. Research even suggests that the physical act of drawing and writing by hand can enhance retention.
"We've found a balanced approach works best," explained a middle school principal. "Students use paper-based visual note-taking during initial concept introduction, then transfer and expand these notes using digital tools for collaboration and further development."
Getting Started with Visual Note-Taking
For educators and students looking to implement visual note-taking, follow these steps:
Step 1: Choose Your Approach
Select a visual note-taking technique that matches the subject matter and your thinking style:
Mind mapping for exploring connected ideas
Concept mapping for showing specific relationships
Sketchnoting for engaging visual representation
Visual organizers for structured comparison
Step 2: Start with the Right Tools
Begin with tools that match your current needs and technical comfort:
For beginners: Start with paper and colored pens or simple digital tools
For tech-comfortable users: Explore dedicated visual note-taking apps like Scrintal
For existing Microsoft or Google users: Leverage OneNote or Jamboard
Step 3: Practice with Simple Content
Start applying visual note-taking to familiar content before tackling complex new material:
Transform existing text notes into visual format
Practice during a familiar lecture or while reading known material
Review and refine your approach before using it for critical learning situations
A high school English teacher who implemented visual note-taking shared this approach: "We started by having students create simple character relationship maps for books they'd already read. This low-stakes practice helped them develop skills before applying visual note-taking to new literature we were studying."
Step 4: Build Your Visual Vocabulary
Develop a consistent set of visual elements to use in your notes:
Create a personal library of simple icons for common concepts
Establish a color-coding system for different types of information
Practice basic shapes and connectors that can be drawn quickly
As you gain comfort with visual note-taking, gradually expand your approach to more complex subjects and more sophisticated visual techniques.
Visual Note-Taking in Different Learning Environments
Visual note-taking can be adapted to various educational contexts:
In the Classroom
For in-person learning, visual note-taking helps students actively engage with lecture material:
Teachers can model visual note-taking on whiteboards or document cameras
Students can use paper notebooks or tablets depending on technology access
Group visual note-taking activities can promote collaborative learning
A middle school science teacher explained: "I begin each unit by co-creating a concept map with students. As the unit progresses, we continuously add to and refine this visual representation, making connections explicit."
Remote and Hybrid Learning
For online or hybrid education, digital visual note-taking tools become essential:
Collaborative platforms like Scrintal allow students to work together on visual notes regardless of location
Screen sharing of visual notes helps teachers check understanding
Digital tools make it easy to save and revisit visual notes throughout a course
"During remote learning, Scrintal became our virtual classroom whiteboard," shared a high school math teacher. "Students could watch me build visual explanations of concepts in real-time, then create their own visual notes in breakout rooms. The floating tab feature was especially valuable for referencing multiple resources simultaneously."
Self-Directed Study
For independent learning, visual note-taking helps students organize and synthesize information from multiple sources:
Create visual summaries of textbook chapters
Map connections between different courses or subjects
Use visual organization to plan research papers or projects
A college student explained: "I use Scrintal to create a visual web of connections between my different courses. This helps me see how concepts from psychology relate to my education classes, making both more meaningful."
Key Takeaways for Educators and Students
Visual note-taking improves information retention by up to 40% by engaging both visual and verbal processing in the brain
Different visual techniques (mind mapping, concept mapping, sketchnoting) suit different subjects and learning preferences
Digital tools like Scrintal provide powerful capabilities for creating, sharing, and expanding visual notes across educational contexts
Start simple with basic shapes and icons—artistic skill isn't required for effective visual note-taking
Visual organization helps reveal connections between concepts that might remain hidden in linear notes
Modern AI-enhanced tools provide additional support for summarizing, connecting, and organizing visual information
The best visual note-taking approach depends on subject matter, learning environment, and individual thinking styles
Interested in transforming your educational experience through visual note-taking? Scrintal offers a powerful visual canvas approach for both educators and students. With its Pro plan currently available at $9.99/month and a free plan coming in August 2025, Scrintal provides a sophisticated yet accessible way to organize information visually and connect ideas naturally.
Contact us: For more information about visual note-taking in education or to learn more about Scrintal's upcoming free plan, reach out to our team at hello@scrintal.com or visit our website at Scrintal.com. We're dedicated to helping educators and students find the best visual productivity solution for their unique needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which note-taking tool is best for students?
A: The best student note-taking tools are flexible, visual, and easy to organize. Scrintal is a top choice for visual learners: its infinite canvas lets students map ideas, connect concepts, and see the “big picture.” With the Scrintal Pro plan ($9.99/month), users also get an intuitive AI Assistant for brainstorming, summarizing, and organizing notes—making study and revision more effective. Microsoft OneNote and Goodnotes are also popular for their free-form pages and digital handwriting, but Scrintal’s visual linking and AI features give students a clear edge for deep learning. Try Scrintal Pro here.
Q: How to incorporate visual note-taking in classrooms?
A: Start by showing students examples of visual notes (“sketchnotes”) using images or short videos. Model the process on the board or using a projector, combining simple drawings, arrows, and keywords to capture main ideas. Let students practice with familiar topics and encourage them to use color, shapes, and connectors. For digital classrooms, Scrintal makes it easy to collaborate in real time, organize group ideas, and even use the AI Assistant for instant summaries or brainstorming prompts—helping students build visual literacy and memory. Register for Scrintal and try collaborative visual boards.
Q: What tools do teachers use for notes?
A: Teachers choose tools that fit their workflow and subject. Microsoft OneNote is widely used for its digital notebooks and flexible page layouts. Scrintal is becoming a favorite among educators for planning lessons, mapping curriculum, and sharing resources visually—especially with the ability to link materials, embed PDFs, and use AI to generate summaries or quick teaching prompts. Google Jamboard and Notability are also popular for collaboration and handwritten notes, but Scrintal’s canvas and AI support make it stand out for classroom planning and resource management. Explore Scrintal’s Pro plan here.
Q: What’s the easiest way for beginners to start visual note-taking?
A: Begin with simple mind maps or diagrams on paper or digitally. Use circles for main ideas, branch out with lines for details, and add quick sketches or icons. Don’t worry about artistic skill—the focus is on capturing meaning, not making art. Scrintal’s templates and AI Assistant can help guide your first visual notes, making the process simple even for those new to visual thinking.
Q: How does Scrintal’s AI Assistant help with note-taking?
A: Scrintal’s AI Assistant is designed to work alongside you as a creative partner. You can ask questions, summarize readings, or get brainstorming help, then drag responses directly onto your visual canvas. It’s perfect for students and teachers needing fast insights, study guides, or inspiration. Scrintal’s new AI Research Assistant adds even more power for academic work—register here.
