Mind Mapping -Kidspiration -Inspiration

Transcription

1 Mind Mapping -Kidspiration -Inspiration

2 How do Mind Maps work? Mind Maps are simply ways of visually representing information. Chinese Proverb: A picture is worth a thousand words Verbal information is transient and must be stored in auditory short term memory, held in auditory working memory while ideas are processed and then transferred to Long term memory for later use. Visual information is static, taking the pressure of auditory short term and auditory working memory. Students can refer back to the information as many times as necessary to process the information and organize their ideas. Complements a range of learning styles. Can insert audio and visual info

3 Other names for Mind Maps Graphic Organizers Visual Organizers Visual Diagrams

4 Why Mind Map? Mind Mapping is an essential step for all students to learn but it is especially important for students with language and/or literacy difficulties The use of maps to assist students is only limited by one s imagination. Allows students to brain storm and organize ideas in any area of their school day. Maps can be used by teachers in any curriculum area. Teaches all students the important step of taking the time to develop a plan or outline before any oral presentations or written work. Allow a student to develop links between ideas and change these links as their thinking develops- explore, organize, categorize, analyse and rapidly retrieve information. Assists students to visualize information and move it into Long Term Memory Provides a teacher etc. with a concrete and immediate representation of how a student is thinking or comprehending.

5 Academic-Ideas for Literacy etc Exploring a topic or theme Writing goals for a subject Responding to prompt questions on the map to guide discussions Noting ideas from and tracking classroom discussions Creating genre outlines to guide students understanding of essential elements Creating writing plans for any genre of writing Creating an outline or prompt sheet for oral discussions Character studies developing vocabulary-definition, synonyms and antonyms Categorizing, comparing and contrasting

6 Social and Emotional Other uses Exploring what is concerning a student Students can often draw/represent visually what is worrying them when they cannot verbalize this information Learning about emotions and emotional regulation Exploring what went wrong in social situations using concepts from Comic Book Conversations Can insert thinking and speaking bubbles for each step in an interaction Creating maps to guide social situations. E.g. having a conversation

7 to have interactive pictures- can move pictures around the screen Why kidspiration and Inspiration The major advantages of these programs are: 1. There are two views- a Map view and a Writing View The Mind Map (map view) can be changed to a written view. The Writing view then provides a plan for a piece of writing 2. Students can print and both the map and the writing view: as a PDF to people who do not have the program or the app. as a full working document to others who have the program. 3. Students can work and edit in Map or Writing View most students prefer to work in Map View Both views There is a computer version of each of these programs as well as an app version. The computer program has some features the ability to draw,

8 Why kidspiration and Inspiration cont. 4. Students can add audio files where they speak the information into the appropriate area of the map. A great advantage for students whose speech is too inaccurate for Siri. Students can then replay this information as many times as they like to: Type the information into the map themselves Use Siri to type the information in the audio file into the map

9 Why kidspiration and Inspiration cont. 5. Students can insert visual images in a number of ways: Use the library of photos in the app/computer version of the program Take photos and insert them into the map use photos previously taken that are stored in the app (or on the computer for the computer version) Take screen shots from the internet and insert into the map (ipad version) 6. Students can also colour code information e.g one colour for main idea, another for details and another for related facts; goals completed etc.

10 Kidspiration Kidspiration (primary)- ipad version contains the core functions Comes with templates (under Activities on the ipad home page). reading and writing social studies science maths. Can add prompt questions in map view which do not appear in writing view. Two Types of maps: Normal Maps Super Grouper- used to classify, categorize and compare and contrast.

11 Designed for secondary and tertiary. Inspiration ipad version just has the core functions of the computer version. This is sufficient for most students. Has some templates in English, French and Spanish: Literacy History Science Thinking Can add teacher instructions

12 Template vs Build a Map Choose to use the templates or build the Mind Map from scratch I do not use the supplied templates except for sometimes formatting ideas and Super Grouper. Early primary, I may use my own for description. Students need to learn how to brain storm and organize their ideas. Often add to maps over time. Students can become overwhelmed with the visual information of a template as opposed to building up the information as ideas are discussed.

13 Computer or ipad version Both are very similar in how they work and have good instructions. Both can be projected onto an interactive white board for whole class work Computer version has three advantages: 1. In Kidspirataion, students can draw pictures within the program and add this into the map 2. Filing system is better 3. Computer versions have many other features.

14 Computer or ipad version ipad version has many advantages: 1. Big cost difference in favour of the ipad version. Very affordable at approx. $15 versus about $70 for the computer version. 2. Adding photos is much easier, can do screen shots e.g. from internet 3. Can use Siri 4. Much faster to build maps and all work saves automatically. Contains the CORE functions