Mind Mapping

 

From Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong

Planning units for students who learn uniquely, I sometimes like to plan units using a grid, crossing Gardner's List of Multiple Intelligences with Bloom's Taxonomy. That way, I can be more assured of giving a variety of activities to reach all learners, yet drawing them to higher levels of thinking. All learners should be given opportunities to think critically. This method of unit planning also helps to reduce the tendency to rely on textbook and worksheet assignments only.

Mind map of the concept of mind mapping! It has been adapted from a mind map produced by Tony Buzan, the person credited with much of the promotion of mind mapping as a learning and thinking tool. For a full explanation of the mind mapping technique see Buzan, T. (1991). The mind map book . New York: Penguin.

 

 

 

Reading Mind Map

 Essay Mind Map

 

Helps review

The open space of a mind map can allow you to revisit it in that first vital review after the session. It is in this first review that you can highlight key areas, gaps in your understanding and list questions that need to be addressed. Some students find it hard to consult a mind map during a lecture so they take standard notes in the lecture but construct a mind map afterwards in their first review of the lecture notes.

 

Suits repeated reviews

By continually returning to your mind maps of these sessions you can use the empty space to add new information and to expand on your understanding of the work covered in the session.

 

Better recall

By having all of the information covered in a session incorporated into a single mind map, many students find this an aid to them remembering what was covered.

 

Prompts questions

You mind map should raise some questions about the information you have received. These questions will need to be followed up on so it is important do develop your own set of symbols which will prompt further action by you.

 

Helps exam preparation

Imagine how useful it would be if you had a set of mind maps for each of your lectures! These mind maps would show you the areas where you had difficulty and include the follow-up information you added in order to clear these problems up.