Using visuals in the classroom is an important and vital piece of pedagogy. In my experience, kids remember the concepts much better when they can visualize the concepts, tie them together with pictures and videos, or form concept maps. I have looked at several tools for creating mental maps - one of my favorites is FreeMind. You can use Powerpoint to put text boxes into shapes or connect concepts.
http://www.mindmapart.com has beautiful examples of mind maps, artists who have created maps, and tips and tricks to create mind maps.
Using pictures and videos in your maps, through programs like Inspiration, can make your maps clickable and even more useful.
When I taught in Eagle Pass, I was a Thinking Maps trainer. Different types of maps could be used to show different ways of thinking about concepts. Some of the benefits of thinking maps:
Using pictures and videos in your maps, through programs like Inspiration, can make your maps clickable and even more useful.
When I taught in Eagle Pass, I was a Thinking Maps trainer. Different types of maps could be used to show different ways of thinking about concepts. Some of the benefits of thinking maps:
- Students learn more effectively and more efficiently
- Objectives are covered in less time with greater retention
- Thought processes are represented similarly throughout the curricula
- Schools also promote integrated thinking and interdisciplinary learning
- Teachers can easily gauge student knowledge prior to a specific lesson
- Student performance can be tracked accurately over time
- Students gain effective tools to use across their academic career
Based on thorough and well-accepted academic study and brain research, the eight Thinking Map tools correspond with eight fundamental thinking processes. More than simple task-specific graphic organizers, our tools can be utilized individually or in various combinations to form a Common Visual Language for students and teachers at all grade levels, in all subjects.
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