Mind Mapping

There are many advantages to using a mind map. The pen and pencil or chalkboard and eraser work best in my opinion for the first draft. A software program works great for capturing the ideas after they are out there and that way you can save them or upload them to a webpage for students to refer back to. Below are some of the benefits of using a mind map.

1. Allows visual learners to see it and wrap their brains around something more tangible than just a discussion.

2. It allows the student something to refer back to when they start working.

3. It allows a way to throw ideas out in random order and then later you can put everything into a more organized list.

4. It gives a way to branch off of important ideas with facts and ways to back it up so that when you begin writing a paper you have your arguements ready.

5. You can always add more branches as you go along. For instance, if you start reading a story or going over a lesson you can begin with a topic and one or two main ideas but once the lecture or discussion is over you can go back and add to your mind map all the important information that way students are actually giving input and showing what they learned an remembered as a way of reinforcement.