Want to organize a party? Then mind map it! Simply draw out the nodes with all the important points that need to be covered, like “drinks”, “location’, “guest list”, “party snacks”, and so forth.Īlternatively, students could use it to map out how you’re going to write out an essay, allowing you to figure out what topics you need to cover, what headings you need, what arguments you’ll make, and what papers and reading you’ll use to back them. Really, you could use it anywhere where you want to organize things and make certain you understand all of the tasks you’ve got ahead of you. What’s more, because mind maps are far more malleable on computers, you can actually allow them to develop and change over time, which makes them not just useful as snap shots, but also makes it possible to use them to track tasks. However far I go, the mind map is easy to oversee and quick to organize. I could even go one further and make subnodes with what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. In this case, I would draw out more nodes from the “mind-mapping tools for creative students" node, with the actual mind mapping tools I want to write about. So “what is a mind map?”, “mind-mapping uses for students”, “best mind-mapping tools for creative students” and “conclusion”.Īnd from there I could then again create more nodes. So, for example, for this article, I could write “mind map article” in the middle of the page, then draw lines out from there and create subnodes with all the headings I’ll use in this article. But, first, what is a mind map? What Is A Mind Map?Ī mind map is quite a straight forward tool, where you take a central concept, and then draw out subconcepts. In this article, I will present you the 6 best mind mapping tools to use. Since then I’ve used it to design websites, create stories, instead of to-do lists and more. I myself only discovered mind mapping a few months ago, because of one of these very articles that you’re reading. Mind Mapping is widely promoted by educationalists as an assistive tool for students with Special Learning Differences such as Dyslexia and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).Best Mind Mapping Tools For Creative Students Mind Maps make generating ideas easier and help articulate thoughts more coherently. Mind Mapping is a non-linear or radial way to organize information and is more suited to the organic method of thinking. However, that format can be difficult to work with, especially for students who struggle to sequence information in this way.
A typical essay or assignment is often written in a linear or hierarchical format (top down). Let's dive into this a little bit further. Furthermore, some Mind Mapping software integrates with MS Office and Google, allowing students to convert their ideas into other documents such as Word or PowerPoint. These tools have automated the Mind Mapping process, making it more efficient to brainstorm concepts as ideas or branches. Adding colors and images on Mind Maps can help students further by using visual cues to recall information at a later stage, such as during exams or presentations.Īlthough educators and students have been drawing concept maps and mind maps on paper for many years, this has changed with the introduction of visual thinking software, in particular Mind Mapping.
Not only does this speed up the time it takes to learn new information but it embeds this new information into the long-term memory more effectively. This increase is attributed to how Mind Mapping helps students to organize ideas and understand concepts better. A recent Johns Hopkins study shows that when students utilize Mind Mapping, grades increase by 12%.