Brainstorming and Organizing Ideas: Mindmaps and Flowcharts
MindMaps are great tools for any classroom. They save time bcause then students don't have to draw out every detail, and can easily change their maps. Also, teachers would not have to premake an outline for a mindmap or chart (which some tudents may find restricting). In an English class, students could use mind maps to brainstrom essays and complete character or text analyses. Mindmaps are great tools for visual learners, or learners that have trouble writing essays. They can make planning a lot easier for students, and could even be used in place of a typical essay outline or for a powerpoint presentation.
Mindmeister is an online tool for creating mind maps. With mindmeister, students can collaborate to create mind maps for any subject or assignment. It even works offline. Maps can also be shared through social networks and via email. Mindmeister can also be used to create presentations. Students can create 3 mindmaps for free on mindmeister. The Personal account costs. 5.99/month.
MindMapFree is a great alternative to MindMeister. MindMapFree is easy to use, and while it doesn't have as many features (no online collaboration or sharing) as Mindmeister, it is still a great tool for High School Students.
Flowchart.com is currently free while in beta. Like mindmeister, it allows for collaboration and sharing. Students can work on a flowchart or mind map at the same time without any hiccups. Flowchart.com works on multiple browers and operating systems.
