At the end of the units and reading texts or at the beginning of writing activities; I always think that one of the most important things the students should do is mind mapping to be able to view the whole story from A to Z. Here, I’ve listed some mind map online tools that are totally free and easy to use in our classrooms throughout the year:
Dabbleboard : is an enjoyable and free tool to use. The best side of the application is that you don’t need to sign up to create your mind maps. It consists of a white canvas allowing you to draw diagrams and jot down notes. Dabbleboard also includes a library of readily-available objects such as charts, mind maps, network diagrams, floor plans, photo annotation, interface designs, and electrical diagrams.
Bubbl.us : is a very simple tool to use. It allows you to create a free account in seconds. You can create colorful mind maps with the help of user friendly interface. It is also possible to share the images via email or print them.
Mindomo : is an online mindmap software where users can create, view and share mind maps in their browser. However, it only offers the basic services for free while charging for pro-features.
Text 2 MindMap : is an online tool that offers to create mind maps with the help of texts. It accepts a structured list of words and sentences, then converts them into mind map. One of the best ways of the application is to be able to download the work without having to register.
Wisdomap : is online mind mapping tool to get your ideas on a dashboard and then share them with students or colleagues. You can utilize additional images, videos, pictures, links and document files in this application.
Mind Mapping Tasks in the Classrooms:
1. Assign the students to use these tools for the list of objectives of their work. This makes the projects more manageable.2. Ask the students to make use of these tools to create a list of questions regarding a whole unit or a reading text.
3. You can show the roles and responsibilities of the students in any project clearly using these tools.
4. Assign the students to prepare flow charts or mind maps categorizing the vocabulary items including pictures.
5. Assign the students to summarize grammatical structures using mind map.
Happy mindmapping …
