How to Take Notes as an Online School Student

October 7, 2025 byJennifer Strimbu

6 min to read

A teenage girl with pink hair is taking notes during her online lesson

Strong note-taking skills are essential for student success in an online school setting, and students who are already comfortable using technology in the classroom can make the most of the tools they have when studying and trying to retain information faster during class.

At its core, effective note-taking—whether digital or when putting pen to paper—sets out to break down complex information into more manageable chunks. By mastering note-taking for retention, students can better focus on what’s important, increase understanding, and study more efficiently.

Why is Note-taking Important?

Note-taking is more than just writing things down. It's a proven way to absorb and organize information. Effective note-taking forces a student to interact more with the material being taught, helping them to be better able to process the information they previously read or listened to.

This active learning process allows students to:

Strengthen focus

Develop multitasking skills

Boost comprehension and long-term retention

Build organization and critical thinking skills

What are the Benefits of Good Note-taking?

Taking good notes helps to increase understanding of learned material, both inside and outside the classroom. During class, taking concise and well-organized notes will help increase focus on main concepts. Outside the classroom, learning how to take notes that are both effective, comprehensive, and well-organized can help students more effectively review learned material and better prepare for quizzes and tests.

How to Take Notes in Virtual School in 5 Easy Steps

Whether a student is enrolled in a virtual school like Connections Academy or is enrolled in distance learning, here are five steps to help K-12 students develop effective note-taking skills for online learning.

1. Write Down Key Facts

If the teacher repeats certain information, says that something is important, or writes key points of their lectures on the screen or a board of some kind, these should be copied down.

Some examples include:

Mathematical and scientific formulas

Key names, places, and dates

Vocabulary words and definitions

Theories or opinions

Literary symbols, themes, characters, and plot points

2. Paraphrase Information

There is something about writing ideas down in your own words that helps reinforce meaning. Paraphrasing key concepts in class can increase the adoption of new vocabulary and can help students better comprehend the subject matter. Don’t worry about writing in complete sentences. Note-taking is for the student’s eyes only and writing down concepts and information in a way that helps jog their memory of what they read or was discussed in class.

3. Find Effective Note-Taking Methods

The goal of note-taking isn’t to create the “perfect” notes – it's to take notes that help the student learn. Even in online school, where the majority of their learning is on a screen, students often combine traditional, handwritten methods with more modern digital note-taking apps. Each can be a great option, but the most effective note-taking method will ultimately depend on your student’s unique learning preference.

Visual and Handwritten Note-taking Techniques

Often visual learners connect concepts by seeing something, rather than just hearing or reading about it. Visual note-taking techniques often include drawings, diagrams, and colors.

Fun note-taking tools like multicolor pens, highlighters, and sticky notes can help your student easily markup physical textbooks or handwritten notes and can help them find key ideas fast, especially in larger books.

Some benefits of handwritten note taking:

Easier to create diagrams and illustrations

Sometimes better for visual learners

Easier for students prone to digital distraction to stay focused

Can be better for comprehension and retention

Digital Note-taking Techniques

Geared toward middle and high school students, digital note-taking offers lots of benefits. The trick to digital note-taking is knowing when technology helps and when it doesn’t.

For example, typing notes on a computer is typically faster than writing them by hand. On the other hand, if a student copies and pastes information into their notes, they skip the rewriting and summarizing process—a key factor in helping them absorb core concepts.

However, digital note-taking apps let your student better organize their notes over using pen and paper. With digital note-taking tools, students can search and find their notes quickly, add images or tables, and create to-do lists all on the same page while syncing across multiple devices.

Hybrid note-taking strategy

Hybrid note-taking combines the best of both handwritten and digital note-taking. With a stylus and tablet, students can hand write on a program that transposes their notes into a typed format that they can save and expand upon with charts, graphs, and smart tags to help them stay organized.

Copy Another Note Taking Method

For middle and high school students, effective note-taking methods can depend on their personal style and how they like to stay organized. Check out these additional top 5 note-taking methods for older students, such as the Cornell Method or the Outlining Method, and your student can adopt the one that works best for them.

4. Keep Notes Organized

For all K-12 students, a key component of note-taking is staying organized. Here are some organizational tips for students on how to find those pesky notes at the right time.

Use a separate notebook for each class

Some students find success by keeping a separate notebook for each class. Especially for elementary students, note-taking becomes fun when they pull out a uniquely decorated notebook for each class. From there, all they need to do to stay organized is to write the date and topic at the top of each page so that they can find specific notes later.

Use one notebook for all classes

Other students enjoy taking notes for all their classes in one notebook. This helps them to not lose the “right” notebook for each class, especially if they have “A” and “B” block days, or if they lean towards minimalism in their habits and lifestyle.

They later have the option of copying their notes into separate notebooks for each subject, helping to reinforce what they learned while getting organized.

5. Ensure Notes Are Correct and Clear

Once your student has finished taking notes after reading, attending an online class, or from an in-class discussion, try going back through the day’s notes and make sure everything is as accurate and understandable as possible. If students are confused or would like more information about a particular point made during class, they can reach out to their teacher while the concepts are still fresh.

Some ways to ensure notes are correct and clear are to:

Compare class notes to their reading materials. They can add to their notes as they read to expand on certain topics.

Pay attention to headers, bold, or italicized words.

Study illustrations and photos.

Focus on the first and last sentences of paragraphs. Typically, a mini-thesis (main point) is placed in those areas of a paragraph.

Write questions in the margins as they occur. Ask the teacher, Learning Coach, or virtual school classmates for help in filling in any gaps after class.

Take Charge of Your Student’s Online Education

At Connections Academy®, students and their families can take their K-12 education into their own hands, customizing and personalizing their school experience to meet them where and how they learn best.

Whether your student takes notes by hand or digitally, they can hit their stride with flexible class schedules and lessons purpose-built for online learning taught by state-certified teachers. Download our free eguide and speak with an enrollment specialist to learn more about how to enroll your child in a Connections Academy-supported school.