Concept Mapping - Technology 4

This morning I learnt another online technology called Concept Mapping. I explored Bubbl.us and Text2Mindmap. I really enjoyed the beauty of this technology, it's true what they say, organising the information in this manner really does help you remember, especially for the cognitivist learner. I’ve provided a PMI thinking routine to support these 2 technologies using Bubbl.us. Click on the image below to make it larger. 

PMI of Bubbl.us & Text2Mindmap

  

Suggestions on how I could apply concept mapping to my learning environment:

Firstly, if you see the image that says ‘5 Food Groups’, click on it and have a browse. This is an example of an activity I could use in either of my 2 teaching areas using Text2Mindmap. It’s simply asking the students to investigate the 5 food groups and to give examples of food under each section. Furthermore, how I created a PMI in a concept map, this is just another example of an activity you could use encouraging higher order thinking. There are so many different activities you could implement depending on what you were teaching.



5 Food Groups


Concept mapping could be used in brainstorming a specific topic and for group work. It could also be used for scaffolding ways of thinking, for example, students have an assignment on different sports and energy systems, therefore I could provide a concept map with different ideas I want the students to think about when writing their assignment. Concept maps are beneficial in that they help organise information, this will aid some students in remembering the content. It helps teachers get their information across, for example, I could create a concept map to help me explain to the students how the energy systems operate. Also, having the ability to print the concept maps is a bonus because students have a permanent copy. I know for a fact when I was learning about the energy systems my teacher gave us a very basic diagram with loads of writing, it took me forever to understand it. Concept maps could also be used for oral presentations and assignments. For example, a student might use a concept map in explaining the muscles and bones in the human body.