We’ve managed to talk to Lorie Squalls, a doctoral candidate with some mad visual note taking skills. See more of her colourful notes here.

Tell us your background.
I grew up in the Dallas Fort Worth area where I currently still reside. I am a Mom to an 8-year-old son and the wife to an amazing systems specialist and weekend motorcycle drag racer.

I am a doctoral candidate working on my final project study for an Ed.D for Administrative Leadership for Teaching and Learning. I currently hold a masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with a focus on Instructional Technology. I possesses both campus and district leadership experience in the area of Education. I am currently a Professional Learning Coordinator with a large school district in the DFW metroplex. I was previously an Elementary Assistant Principal and Coordinator of Instructional Technology.

I serve as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Dallas Baptist University, working with future educators in the graduate and undergraduate degree programs. I have a passion for Project-Based Learning, Blended Learning, Professional Development, and Instructional Design.

What specific projects are you working on right now?
My projects are ongoing and evolving. I spend a great deal of my time learning so that I can develop and inspire learning in others. A typical day for me includes:
(1)  Attending collaborative meetings and learning communities to support classroom teachers with curriculum and instruction
(2)  Collaborating with the Professional Learning team to develop learning experiences for teachers and plan on-going professional learning for all employees in our organization
(3)  Facilitating online learning
(4)  Participating in instructional and leadership coaching training
(5)  Monitoring our new teacher mentor program
(6)  Teaching “Technology for Today’s Learners” at the university level and helping students design learning experiences for students that effectively integrate technology

Who/what inspires you?
Kids inspire me. I want them to have learning experiences that prepare them for life beyond the classroom. In addition to academics, students need the following future ready skills:
(1)  collaborate with others
(2)  develop critical thinking skills (asking questions not finding answers)
(3)  solve real-world problems
(4)  engage in hands-on learning
(5)  experience recovering from failure
(6)  develop oral and written communication skills
(7)  develop creativity

What are you passionate about? Name three.
I am passionate about providing kids with the opportunities mentioned about by changing the current education systems and structure to reflect a more flexible learning environment. I am passionate about using technology to enhance the learning of content and future-ready skills. Technology has created new opportunities for virtual and blended learning environments. I am also passionate about life long learning. We must be self-directed in learning about our own interests and passions in life.

When and where did you discover Noteshelf?
I discovered Noteshelf when looking for a handwriting app. I tried about 20 different apps, but loved several features of Noteshelf, such as
(1)  the ability to have multiple notebooks with custom covers
(2)  the variety of different papers(lines, blank, Cornell notes, etc.)
(3)  the colors and pen styles (pens, inks, highlighters, pencils)
(4)  the ability to import documents
(5)  the ability to import pictures
(6)  the ability to add typed text
(7)  the ability export to email, tweet, or send to evernote
(8)  the magnify feature is my favorite, it ensures my note are perfect!

I attend several meetings and training per week and Noteshelf allows me to take handwritten, visual notes just as if I had paper, pencils, markers, and highlighters. All in one device!

What kind of notes do you have in Noteshelf?
I have notebooks for my job, doctoral work, a gratitude journal, a journal for my son’s homework and projects, a notebook for church sermon and Bible study notes, a journal for my sewing and craft projects, a photography journal, and a notebook for my leadership training. I use Noteshelf for professional note taking, visual note taking, drawing, sketching, designing art projects and journaling.

What stylus do you use and why?
I currently use the Bamboo Stylus Duo It is an iPad stylus on one end and a black ink pen on the other end, which means I have two writing devices in one. I don’t have to carry a pen and stylus when I am mobile. I have had this stylus for about three years, so there may be better options on the market now.


What are you other favourite apps/programs/gadgets?
My other favorite apps include Wunderlist, Evernote, and OneNote. My iPad Air and MacBook Air are my favorite devices. I prefer apps that sync across all my devices.

How would you recommend Noteshelf to those who doesn’t use any note-taking app? To those that are using another note-taking app?
I would recommend Noteshelf over other apps because the writing is more natural and fluid, and there are a variety of tools to meet your note taking needs. The ease of use and organization options make is superior to other apps.

Lorie incorporates the fundamentals of visual note taking into her course content and uses this Rachel’s Smith’s Ted Talk as an intro. Follow her website to learn more about her inspirations and passions.

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