Month: April 2016 (Page 1 of 2)

Mind Mapping for Education

Mind Mapping Software for Education

Mind Mapping for Education

Best Mind Mapping Software for Education

Mind mapping is considered as one of the most innovative and creative tool that helps both as a teaching and learning aid. Teachers use mind maps to simplify complex topics and provide a better understanding to students, while students use mind maps to reflect their understanding of topics and remember them. Mind maps help them to understand the connections between different ideas.

In education, mind mapping is often used for:

  • Brainstorming sessions
  • Visualizing concepts
  • Improving critical thinking
  • Decision making
  • Improving reading and writing skills
  • Advanced research papers or graduate projects
  • Outlining written documents
  • Storyboarding presentations
  • Project management

MUST READ: Mind Mapping Software for College Students

For students who are not process oriented, rather visually oriented mind mapping can prove to be an easy way out to put in all their random thoughts and then make the connections. For students who suffer from Asperger or Dyslexia, mind mapping proves to be more assistive in nature by helping the students to visualize complex subjects and remember key topics.

How does Mind Mapping Work in Education

Mind mapping is used in education for both teaching and learning. Teachers use mind maps as a note-making tool to develop their ideas on the subjects they are teaching. Students use mind maps as a note-taking tool to understand the subject being taught to them and remember the topics better. When teachers use mind mapping for planning, it creates an increased understanding of the module, and helps them to identify a structured and logical teaching methodology. This in turn helps students to remember the subject better.

Important Uses of Mind Mapping in Education

Students and teachers can utilize this simple and effective method both inside the classroom and at home. Given below are some important uses of mind mapping in education.

Taking Better Notes:

Mind maps help to write less and retain more in the following ways:

  • Take more efficient notes in class
  • Visualize hierarchies and connections between topics
  • Use mental triggers to retain information more easily
  • Add notes, links, attachments, images and videos to topics
  • Search and filter the maps for quick revision

ALSO READ: Collaborative Mind Mapping Software for Students

Engaging and Collaborating

Mind maps help the teachers to keep all the students engaged and help the students learn to work in a collaborative manner to:

  • Exchange information and ideas
  • Work simultaneously on the same mind map
  • Infinitely undo all changes
  • See who contributed what and when
  • Make studying fun

Researching and Writing

Mind maps prove most effective in this area when the students have to research and write essays on a given topic, or write scientific papers. Mind maps help to:

  • Collect notes, links and documents
  • Evaluate and comprehend information
  • Stimulate the logical flow of the thought process
  • Simplify complex topics
  • Develop and outline an essay structure

Creating Presentations

Minds maps help to visualize and communicate complex information. Students can:

  • Turn maps into dynamic presentations within seconds
  • Show the ‘big picture’ as well as details
  • Zoom and pan to relevant areas of their choice
  • Add notes and links to the slideshows
  • Embed presentations in blogs and websites

Benefits of Mind Mapping in Education

Mind Mapping in education comes packed with benefits for both teachers and students. Research has shown that those students who use the mind mapping technique have better critical thinking skills and memory power. Students use mind maps to capture their thought processes and present their ideas visually. This also improves their communication and collaboration skills.

The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education (IARE) at AEL conducted a research study in 2003 entitled Graphic Organizers: A Review of Scientifically Based Research. The study concluded that Graphic organizers:

  • Improve reading comprehension
  • Benefit students achievement levels
  • Enhance thinking and learning skills
  • Increase retention
  • Support cognitive learning theory

MUST SEE: Best mind mapping software for studying

Benefits for Students

Mind maps hold the following benefits for students:

  • Improved memory and recall – Mind maps are full of mental triggers that help the brain to comprehend and store concepts more easily. Students take less notes, need fewer revisions and still retain more facts than they would with linear notes.
  • Free flow of ideas – The use of keywords, images and short phrases in mind maps, helps students jot down thoughts a lot faster than usual. This free flow of ideas help in brainstorming creative writing assignments and solve brainteasers.
  • Structured Information – Mind maps can store and structure vast amounts of information. They display hierarchy, show relationships between single topics and enable students to see the “big picture” at a glance. This also makes them ideal for summarizing texts.
  • Better CommunicationMind mapping software helps both students and teachers collaborate and communicate better. Since it is more of a visual aid, some of the most complex problems are broken down and solutions are found in the most efficient manner.

Benefits for Teachers

Teachers benefit with mind mapping because of its visual nature. They can monitor and assess the students’ understanding of the topics covered with the help of mind maps. This helps them to identify the gaps and plan out the future topics accordingly. Mind map software also help teachers map their thought processes in an organized way with respect to a topic or subject and this ensures they cover the topics in totality.

Mind Vector – the Perfect Choice for Education

Mind Vector is the best mind mapping software solution for teachers and students.

The automatically expanding canvas helps both teachers and students to keep on adding sub-topics and related topics around a main topic. The flexibility to add notes, images, icons, and web links helps the students and teachers add every minute detail to a topic, which later can be easily recalled.

Collaboration is important in education, be it teachers working together on a complex subject or students working together on a complex assignment. The Collaboration feature of Mind Vector is of great value when a mind map for a complex topic is being created. Almost 20 people can access the same mind map at any given point in time and add their thoughts, feedback, and ideas.  Mind Vector is available in the Android, iOS, and Web versions therefore making it easily accessible to one and all.

We can therefore conclude that with easy availability of appropriate tools, mind mapping can be one of the most popular education aids.

READ MORE: What’s new in Mind Vector, the Best Mind Mapping Software

Download Mind Vector App Now:

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Best Mind Mapping Software – Bringing Out the Genius in You

Best Mind Mapping Software – Bringing Out the Genius in You

Best Mind Mapping Software – Bringing Out the Genius in You

Our mind is a birthplace of millions of ideas that keep bubbling at the same time. Bits of information, that we read, write, see, feel and process give birth to a pool of ideas. Too many ideas at the same time cause Information overload and this is where mind maps come in handy. Mind maps as a thinking tool collate everything that goes on in the brain. They are helpful in collaborating and organizing your thoughts better. Using mind maps awakens the genius in you as it encourages you to use the analytical as well as the creative side of your brain.

The Mind Vector App is an online mind map tool which can be used to store and deliver information as well as to collaborate on projects. This free mind map software is a brainstorming and planning tool which helps entrepreneurs to improve their business productivity and a collaborative tool which helps students to organize, memorize and communicate effectively.

Mind mapping tools can enable businessmen to collate information and ideas and use them in the best possible way. There is a high degree of uncertainty and complexity in today’s business environment. Therefore, more and more entrepreneurs are now using mind mapping for various purposes such as:

  • Capture large number of ideas through brainstorming.
  • Creative problem-solving.
  • Planning and execution of new business or acquisition.
  • Plan a meeting which includes deciding the agenda, meeting venue requirements and invitees.
  • Note down the conversations and decisions taken during meetings.
  • Enhance business management skills.
  • Conduct SWOT Analysis.
  • Maintain a Dashboard for easy access to information.
  • Make well-informed decisions.

Must read: Enhance your Productivity with The Best Mind Mapping Software

  • Develop job descriptions for key positions in your organization.
  • Map out your organizational structure.
  • Set and track employee performance and contribution towards departmental and organizational goals.
  • Improvise your presentation skills.
  • Risk assessment and management.
  • Market Research and Analysis.
  • Create strategies for business growth.
  • Formulate a marketing plan.
  • Set financial goals and improve profitability.

The free concept map maker such as Mind Vector helps to capture various ideas, insights and information to enable you to run your business effectively. So when you are conducting a Brainstorming Session or SWOT Analysis, it is apt that you use mind mapping software to identify problem areas and possible solutions.

In the above example, the SWOT Analysis is the main node with 4 child-nodes called Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. These child-nodes are further divided into various branches. Here, various aspects of each child node are noted down. In order to excel in your line of business, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats so that you can formulate ways to overcome the negatives. The online mind mapping software gives you a clear picture of your entire business and helps you to analyze the situation completely. You could have a brainstorming session with your key employees so that you can get the points from many people’s perspectives.

We can conclude that by using mind mapping tools a businessman can improve the overall organizational efficiency, planning and execution of new projects, the productivity of employees and staff morale as well as relationship with clients.

Download Mind Vector App Now:

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Mind Mapping for Improving Thought Process

Enhance your Productivity with The Best Mind Mapping Software

Enhance your Productivity with The Best Mind Mapping Software

Enhance your Productivity with The Best Mind Mapping Software

When off to a holiday the first thing that comes to the mind is making a check-list! Right from packing the essentials to getting everything organized can be a task. Some people leave this to the tour company while some love planning their own holidays as it gives them more freedom to take things at their own pace. Checklists can be boring sometimes, especially when you keep scribbling and scribbling again to incorporate changes. The new technology taking over the internet is mind mapping! Wait till you try it…

So what exactly is a mind map you may ask? A mind map is a pictorial representation of ideas that begin literally from the center of your brain. It boasts your creativity, enhances your cognitive capacities and enables you to look at the mundane differently. A picture speaks a thousand words they say. That picture taken with you posing for a shutterbug on a white Christmas day is as vivid in your mind as if it was taken only yesterday.

Must read… Top 10 Productivity uses of Free Mind Mapping Software

Make Your Travel plan with Mind Vector

Make Your Travel plan with Mind Vector

Hence, mind mapping makes use of images and diagrams to represent ideas as they are retained better by the brain. Today, there are companies offering the best mind mapping software. All you need to do to make your own mind map is download the software and you are all set.

Here are some tips to help you become the Best Free Mind Mapping Software user:

1. Get Your Basics Right- Play with visuals! The mind connects to images much better than that to a 10-page document. With mind mapping, it is easier to draw ideas in a linear form than putting it down in sentences and paragraphs. Ultimately it becomes a task to draw out ideas from the middle of paragraphs.

2. Use Colors – As children, we loved playing with colors. Splashing them about and coloring the walls and the floor. Colors appeal to our senses and so you will find that some of the best free mind mapping software make use of vibrant colors as these throw open more doors to your imagination and you come up with better ideas.

3. Preparing a Skeleton- Mind mapping is a slow process which gains momentum and your “branches” spread out more clearly on paper as you keep moving one notch higher. The center contains your main idea. For example, it is ‘Holidaying in New York’ from here you will draw branches in curves that again branch out to second and third level curves.

As you keep preparing more branching, you get more clarity on- how to get to NY, places to see there, things to eat, places to eat, the timing of the boat to the harbor and much.

Also read… Mind Mapping Software for Brainstorming

4. Use Keywords – It is said that your keyword or your sub-idea that branches out of your main idea needs to be the size of the curve that you draw. The brain detests straight lines, so make them as curvy as you can! This helps to interlink the ideas better and in a crisper

5. Making A Presentation of Your Final idea- Voila! Now is the time to bring out the idea in open. The beauty of mind mapping is that there is absolutely no need for lines or long sentences. You can convey your message in minimum words and make the maximum impact! Your mind map should be structured well with each well-thought of curve and

There are some amazing tools online which offer some of the best software on mind mapping, which you can use to the best of your advantage. Happy Mapping!

Top 10 Productivity uses of Free Mind Mapping Software

Productivity uses of Free Mind Mapping Software

Productivity uses of Free Mind Mapping Software

The human brain is a maze of thoughts & ideas and it is a tough job to connect all of them for bringing out the best outcome required for a particular task. Mind maps have helped immensely in channeling & nurturing thoughts. Let us have a quick glimpse of the multiple benefits of mind mapping tools.

1. Planning & implementation of projects: With the proper usage of the free mind mapping software one can plan a project in an efficient manner. It would be like a flowchart of steps to execute a large-scale task.

2. Carrying out SWOT analysis: Every organization or person occasionally conducts SWOT analysis to introspect their current stand. Mind map software can be beneficial for such a scenario as it enables collection of chunks of information within a definite range. It aids to get a clear image of which subjects need attention.

3. Jotting notes: Mind map tools facilitate in capturing important notes during presentations or studying, especially the key points. This reduces the tiresome experience of going through lengthy articles or documents.

4. Maintaining a to-do list: When the risk of finishing a task within deadlines gives a panic to individuals, the utility of free mind map software cannot be ignored. With these tools, you can prioritize your daily tasks without forgetting. It can also be used to fragmentize
a large activity into smaller ones.

5. Managing knowledge: Every time an individual is bombarded with massive data chunks, the human brain filters them for ease of recollection. Mind mapping software aids in storing all the information in its original form in the form of keywords or short phrases.

Must read: Mind Mapping Software for Brainstorming

6. Enhance creativity: For budding writers or artists the scenario of mind block happens very frequently, there is always a time when the mind has zero initial ideas to begin with. Mind map tools can be utilized to seize thoughts via brainstorming modes.

7. Formulating presentations: One stop destination to create an informative presentation is mind mapping software as it consists of necessary keywords & images. It provides the speaker & audiences get a conversational form of facts, rather than a boring & tedious lecture.

 

Mind Maps are Great Presentation Assets

Great Presentation Asset

8. Tackling problems: Mind mapping software provides the remedy in times of a problem, they allow the mind to come up with possible solutions rather than mere stressing. The elements of the problem like- what, why, how, when & where can be analyzed in a systematic manner.

9. Constituting information dashboard: Mind map tool allows people to embed files, web pages & data sources thus making a dynamic dashboard of information which can be accessed for later usage.

10. Encapsulate research findings: Usage of best mind map software to summarize research inferences is a common application these days. The research presentation can be embellished with graphs or links leading to the external PDF/.doc files carrying the factual data.

Download Mind Vector App Now:

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