Online concept mapping

Bubbl-us

Below are two online concept maps that I craeted using Bubbl-us.I enjoyed using this website because it was so easy to use. I have never thought about online brainstorming before, but can now really see the advantages that it would have within the classroom.

-It is simple, easy to create and easy for students to use.
-Scaffolded, students insert words within a bubble and then create branches easily.
-Enables students to share concept maps (can be embedded or printed).
-Can be saved and edited.
-Can be coloured.
-Could be used on an interactive whiteboard to allow for whole class brainstorming.

I like Ted Buzan's description of brainstorming as a 'Swiss army knife', which explains how the brain thinks centrally and then branches in all directions. The branches are a reflection of the way that the brain is thinking and create far more imaginative brainstorming than methods such as list writing which do not allow for associations.

Some other suggestions that were presented in iMindMap (2007) by Tony Buzan were, to use colour and images when brainstorming. He also believes that curved lines are far more effective when braistorming as they excite the brain. Being a visual learner I strongly agree with this and therefore set about finding an online program that would allow me to do that. I found a fantasticwikispace titled WebTools4U2Use whcih provided a whole list of online concept maps. The one that I particularly liked (and could accessss free) is called SpiderScribe. Spider scibe allows you to create mind maps using text, images, maps, calender events, and word document files within the web, all whihc can be connected through curved lines. A demo on how to use this program is available here. Any images and maps can be hyperlinked and allow the viewer to be transported to the site where the idea or information came from. I would use this within my classroom as I believe that it is not online an effective concept mapping tool but an interactive learning site where students can be connected to the world beyon the classroom.





Below is a concept map that I created using Spiderscribe.



iMindMap. (2007, Jan 8). Maximise the power of your brain: Tony Buzan mind mapping [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlabrWv25qQ.