I have been experimenting with doodling, a.k.a. sketch noting, seriously since August, 2015.  You can see my growth, setbacks, and learning on my Pinterest page MyLearning Journey for #ShowYourWork Doodles and Sketch notes.

A doodler is connecting neurological pathways with previously disconnected pathways. A doodler is concentrating intently, sifting though information, conscious, and otherwise, and – much more often than we realize – generating massive insights. (Brown, 11 pag.)

How might we practice, experience, and engage in a different way of connecting with information? What if we exercise our own creativity to create visuals of what we are learning?

Sketch notes from Tim Kanold's April 29 session in Pasadena, CA.  See Seven Stages of Team Collaboration worksheet for support of 7 stages doodle.

Rather than diverting our attention away from a topic (what our culture believe is happening when people doodle), doodling can serve as an anchoring task – a task that can occur simultaneously with another task – and act as a preemptive measure to keep us from losing focus on [a] topic. (Brown, 18 pag.)

It seems counterintuitive, but I can attest to my own improvement in focus, attention, and engagement.

People using even rudimentary visual langue to understand or express something are stirring the neurological pathways of the mind to see a topic in a new light. (Brown, 71 pag.)

Yes, it takes practice.  Yes, it is difficult at first.

Isn’t that true of most learning?

Experiment. Learn by doing.

Be brave; #ShowYourWork.

And… have fun!

Brown, Sunni. The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently. New York: PORTFOLIO/Penguin, 2014. Print.

Gough, Jill. “MyLearning Journey for #ShowYourWork Doodles and Sketch Notes.” Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2015.