Online+Concept+Mapping


 * Online Concept Mapping: ****A tool for all students in all grade Levels **

All logos are owned by their respected companies. There is no direct link with these companies and VHS, Inc. || ** Show me what you know! ** Whereas most of the activities and tools we have looked at so far have dealt with synthesis and analysis of information, this one deals in imagination and creativity! Ask students to portray their understanding by mapping their mind! Show me what you know!

Because the process of building a //mind map// engages the learner with content, it is another //active learning// student-centered strategy.

Mind Mapping: Mind mapping utilizes both our capacity to absorb and retain visual information and our natural ability to create patterns. This enables students to create a visual representation of the relationships between ideas or concepts.
 * Makes abstract ideas visible and concrete.
 * Summarizes and reviews readings and notes.
 * Connects prior knowledge to new concepts.
 * Provides structure for thinking, writing, discussing, analyzing, planning and reporting.
 * Focuses thoughts and ideas, leading to understanding and interpretation. ||

Mind Mapping is a useful technique that improves the way students take notes, and supports and enhances creative problem solving. By using Mind Maps with your students, you can quickly identify student understanding of the structure of a subject, the way that pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts contained in normal notes.

On a mind map, the student can order information, color code it and label sections of work, and you can see (literally!) how one idea fits into another. Mind maps allow students to gather, manage, and share a wide variety of information and resources quickly and easily. Additionally as student become more confident in the use of the tool they can use symbols and diagrams, hyperlinks, images and video to demonstrate their understanding.

Oh, and it can be a bit less time consuming to grade a mind map instead of essay after essay!

Below you will find information about a mind map tool that can help you get started with online mind mapping!  **Activity Details ** **Activity 1**  Visit some online concept maps. Business Activity Operation Management Types of Costs Integumentary System (Notice the hyperlinks next to the image of the skin!)

**Activity 2** Sign up for an account at Webspiration and build a concept map. A tutorial and screencast on signing up for and using Webspiration is linked below.



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Webspiration has an **extensive** Help Section to help you use the tool quickly and effectively.

** Expectations ** Submit the url of your published concept map to our **Showcase** page in the menu to the left**.**

 Tapping a Pencil by tomsaint11, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Apple by orangeacid, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.