What is Mind Mapping?
The visual representation of information in a particular hierarchical manner which includes a base central idea connected to sub-branches associated with the topic. Mind Mapping is a visual form of taking notes which present a central topic with complex information, providing an opportunity for the students to understand, think creatively and develop new ideas and ability to establish a connection between the topics. It uses images, words, to encourage students to start with a whole new idea and understand the connections between different subtopics. It helps to expand knowledge and visualize the concepts in a better way rather than explaining using a simple presentation of slides.
Learning and teaching skills are revolutionized using it helping students to improve independent learning, skills and develop ideas to visualize and expand. Based on the central topic, connections between different ideas are visualized and understood by students.
Teaching using mind maps is a highly effective method which not only helps students to find a connection between different ideas but also enables teachers to understand the overall conceptual understanding and development of students. Learning experience is made positive in addition it improves results in a population of students and simulative learning is enhanced.
Education and Mind Mapping
In education, a central topic or an idea is represented in the middle of the page which can be either an image or single word, once the central topic is visualized; branches are created, each branch representing a single word and finally reach to the main topic. Several other branches can be created from the main topic which further enhances the students to develop ideas. The whole mind map is connected with ideas and concepts, which helps the teacher to engage students in the discussion and explain them with finer details of the main topic. The interconnection between different ideas can be easily understood by the students using mind maps.
This will help students think creatively, understand the topic in and out, developing the ability to correlate the things, improve overall productivity in a person. It is a beneficial tool which helps students in the learning process and teachers to teach effectively any topic.
Creating a Mind Map
Mind maps can be created by two steps. First is to visualize an idea, to write the idea in the middle of the page, using free thinking which is referred to as Brainstorming, and the second step is to note down all the ideas identified which relates to the first visualized idea via branches which lead to the final topic. In the second step, students can map the relation between the ideas which were developed using free thinking and identify the relationship between different ideas. One idea may be the cause of another, one may be the effect of other, and one idea may be similar to the other and so on.
Advantages of Mind Mapping
Information can be gathered too quickly and absorbed in a less amount of time. Allows students to think effectively, increases creativity skills and memory powers. Visual learning is a process which can be remembered, helps individuals to think independently, communicate and present their ideas effectively. Also, helps to get a better understanding of the concepts and recall it quickly. Teachers can teach their students in a more effective way using it, encourage students to participate in the discussions about the ideas being developed, to look for solutions for various problems in an extraordinary way, also helps teachers to understand the ability of the students in understanding the different topics. In a way, they can improve the existing method of teaching and help students to fill the existing gap between learning and understanding.
Software for Mind Mapping
Using software for mind maps helps both students and teachers to produce new ideas with multiple branches at the same time, also helps to collapse the information. It helps to store a vast amount of information. When a topic is moved using software, the basic idea is also moved, allowing students to create free ideas independently and add them. It also stores all the related documents, files, links and notes. A Whole lot of information can be exported to other software’s which provides the highest flexibility and acts an excellent tool in education. Along with it several videos related to education are available which further enhance the knowledge resource for students and teachers which will transform them into creative independent thinkers and also retain information in various topics
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