Mind Mapping

I've been thinking about how I can reflect on my ICT sessions by using ICT. I'm a big fan of mind maps, I make them all the time on scraps of paper. I thought they'd be a great way to bring together my thoughts after each session.

There are some great mind mapping softwares around, I'm most familiar with one on the iPad called Mind Node. It's quite a simplistic piece of software, in that is doesn't have as many options as some other softwares I've seen (I should find some examples of these); like being able to order and number the branches and make more sophisticated sub-branches, but I think it's simplicity is also what makes it so effective. It's really aesthetically pleasing too, with each new branch a different vibrant colour and the font is lovely and easy to read.

I think something like Mind Node could be used really effectively in the classroom/teaching/learning setting. I've seen mind mapping used increasingly in schools, as a way for children to process and order their thoughts, which I think is really encouraging. Being able to make mind maps interactively with a class through the use of effective software would be a great thing. My mind maps can get messy, so being able to create them through a computer program would solve the potential issue of being unable to read a hurried scrawl, and similarly for the children, those who struggle with writing in certain contexts would be able to concentrate on articulating their thoughts, and do so far more easily.

I wonder whether there is any mind mapping software designed specifically for children, maybe that I could use on the interactive whiteboard?... (note to self: look into this!). I think the Mind Node software I use is friendly enough to use in a classroom ... maybe I should look into incorporating it into lessons (where appropriate) that I plan in the future... though I don't know how that particular software would work on the board... it would be nice to find some designed specifically for it.

Think I'll whip up a mind map tomorrow and upload it, and look into some other useful mind mapping software and make a log of that too, so it's all here for me to take from when I need it...