Description

This page explores how you can use Mindmaps in your classroom. We also explore how ExamTime's Mindmapping tool is the perfect companion for the modern teacher as it facilitates for both in-class and online learning.

Overview

How to create a Mindmap
Collaborative Learning
Brainstorming

How to Create a Mindmap

Clicking on the MindMap button will bring you straight to a new Mind Map Canvas.

If you create a Mind Map it will be automatically saved to your General Subject. However, if you have a Subject chosen when you decide to create a Mind Map it will be saved in this subject automatically.

Clicking into the central node and typing will automatically rename the Mindmap

When you first enter a Mind Map you will see your central node. Click on this and a small taskbar will appear under it with the following options:

If you drag “+” icon out from the node you can create another node. This will be connected to the central node by a thin strand.
The ‘T’ icon controls the text within the node; you can make it bigger, bold, italic or change the colour.
The coloured circle icon allows you to change the colour of the node and any nodes that are attached to it. Use the slider to pick your colour.
The ‘x’ icon deletes the node( and any nodes connected to it).
The paperclip icon allows you to attach another resource (Flashcard, Quiz, Note) to a node for easy access.
You can also attach a Snippet, which is like a little post-it note for each node. To create a snippet click on the little grey note that appears behind the node.

Using Mindmaps

Mindmaps are predominately used for two things 1) Elaborating on and connecting ideas 2) Collaborating with others to brainstorm ideas.

These two strands are what you should be using with your class. Mindmaps can be done individually or as a group. You can simply put a word in the central node or even just tell them a general topic and allow them to explore their own ideas.

So, for example, if you say to your class 'Everyone pick an area of European History and create a Mindmap on it', some will create Mindmaps exploring Vikings, others exploring The Spanish Inquisition, others exploring World War 2. You can then go around and check each one and give pointers. You could even get your pupils to improve each others Mindmaps.

ExamTime offers the unique ability to be able to work on something individually and then seamlessly share this with your friends or groups to help improve. This means you could set up a study group, invite all your pupils and when they finish their mindmaps they can share an editable version of their Mindmaps to the group so that anyone else can take a copy of any other Mindmap and either study it, grade it and even improve upon it.

This can be done with all our tools so is a fantastic way of creating good quality and relevant study resources for your class.

While having a central concept on which to work is the traditional way of creating Mindmaps they can also be used to brainstorm. The strucutre of a Mindmap allows students and teachers to quickly and visually share ideas, plan events or essays. Mindmaps essentailly are an explosion of ideas. When you have an entire class full of creative students the biggest challenge is having a way of capturing all the ideas; our Mindmap tool allows for this. Try it for yourself and see!

Check here for more info on what else you can do with our Mindmaps!

	Created by PatrickNoonan over 11 years ago

Leaving Certificate Geography Note on How to Use ExamTime: A Teacher's Guide, created by PatrickNoonan on 26/07/2013.