Producing this work as a blog instead of a research paper comes with a slew of caveats. The inherent structure of a research paper remains intact and is emphasized through the use of categories and further enhanced through the tagging of certain key words. A blog is by its nature immediately accessible to multiple people and so it is possible to connect with peers to refine your process. A research paper by its nature is individual and therefore eliminates any possible feedback loops.
Just as Macnab states (belabors at times) visual images are much more intuitive (when properly constructed) and can therefore transmit much more information in a smaller space. However the down side is that while the images should be universal, our age is so inundated with them that we oftentimes forget to question our assumptions. As such it is possible to connect with a piece without fully understanding its implications. While a learning screen can be useful, it will never be sufficient to supplant a research paper. Conversely though, research papers are often incomplete without some sort of visualization.
As a process, the learning screen forces the creator to think on multiple levels simultaneously and make sure they ameliorate the segments with one another. To dive deeper into a work is the push a learning screen affords. In a paper each word is carefully chosen but connotation and denotation must be taken into account. A picture carries with it signs and links to signifiers which in turn have connotations and denotations. In essence a learning screen compounds the information and meaning and requires exponentially more thought. Also while a word may only have so many meanings (thanks to a set definition) a shape is slightly more flexible. I agree that there are certain universals that a shape can stand for, but the size of the shape, the color, the amount of skewing, and other factors can alter that meaning. Macnab agrees that symbols can undergo symbolic perjoration more so than a word can.

Please see the section labeled “Blast from the Past” to compare my previous research paper from High School to my learning Screen. I literally found it about an hour after I turned in my blog!