Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping

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Term2.png MIND MAPPING
A Learning methodology that consists of drawing diagrams used to represent words, ideas, tasks, processes or other items. It is a non-linear way of organizing information and a technique that allows to capture the natural flow of ideas. Each idea or fact is written down and then linked by lines or curves to its major or minor (or following or previous) idea or fact, thus creating a web of relationships. Its purpose is to focus attention, and to capture and frame knowledge to facilitate sharing of ideas and concepts.

Mind maps can be used to:

  • Summarize information
  • Convey information from different sources
  • Think throught complex problems
  • Present information in a format that shows the overall structure of a subject. [1]


Toolkit.png Designing a Mind Mapping

Step by Step

  • Take a blank paper and write down the starting concept or idea, wherever you want. Usually it's good to start in the center of the paper, so that you have 360 degrees of freedom to continue your drawing.
  • Be open and have a creative attitude, trying to let ideas flow and to write all of them.
  • Free associate without limitating your ideas, you can always add new branches and write more information.
  • Try to capture all your ideas as rapidly as possible.
  • Don't make any judgement, write everything you are thinking to.
  • Allow organization, once all the idea has been added you can create links with the ones you left apart, and change the structure of your map.
  • Experiment with different ways of linking and emphasising different aspects, for example using colours and highlighters.

Practical Tips

  • Use single words or simple phrases, they can convey the same meaning of a long sentence but they are more potent.
  • Use coulours to separate different concepts, this will make the map easy to remember and will help showing the organization of the subject.
  • Use symbols and images, that are easier to remember the words.
  • Use corss linkages, since information in one part of the drawing may relate with other on the other side of it.


Link icon.png Web Resources

Freemind

Source http://freeming.sourceforge.net

Description

  • Software to download (10.4MB)
  • Link to document and to external web-sites
  • Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other

CMAP Tools

Source http://cmap.ihmc.us

Description

  • Software to download
  • Link to document and to external web-sites
  • The structure of the map is not fixed, two nodes far from each other can be connected. There is supposed to be a label on every connection between two nodes

Mindmeister

Source http://www.mindmeister.com

Description

  • Available in two versions : Basic one for free, Premium is to pay
  • On-line application, not available when offline
  • Link to document and to external web-sites
  • Ramification only horizontal, with no freedom to change the structure and to connect nodes far from each other



References

  1. ↑ astd-cac.net (08 July 2008) Wikipedia(08 July 2008) www.mind-mapping.co.uk (08 July 2008), www.illumine.co.uk (08 July 2008), www.mindtools.com (08 July 2008), www.thinksmart.com (8 October 2008), www.mindtools.com (8 October 2008), www.businessdictionary.com (8 October 2008)
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