Reflection on online mindmapping

Thank you group 9 for helping me think more deeply about the impact of visuals and the role of mind mapping in the learning process. Giving us the opportunity to experience collaboration in an online mind map was a great idea! I’ve used mind mapping in my Humanities courses to help student develop their ideas and make outlines of key ideas for projects, and have found that although sometimes it extends the process as students engage in the aesthetics of their mind maps, the layout also inspires thought and leaves room for thoughts to arrive ‘out of order’ without causing confusion. Mind maps also seem to inspire creativity because we are able to look for connections where we did not see them before. I have never tried collaborative mind maps, but this is a great way for students to develop collaboration and extend their ideas! I can also see it as a tool for teams of teachers working on a project to help gather and organize ideas. The only downfall I found with Cacoo was that I experienced significant lag time, which could lead to frustration and disengagement. Overall I’m excited about using online mind maps to increase collaboration, develop creativity, and extend thinking.

Posted in: Week 09: Visual-Intensive Learning