Today I completed my own concept map using the online website Bubbl.us to brainstorm my understanding from topic one of Managing E-Learning. I thoroughly recommend the use of this technology and can visualize its incredible advantages in the classroom. The software is extremely user friendly and adjustments can be made easily throughout the map development process. This brainstorming task can be conducted individually, in small groups or as a whole class activity.
By using this technology students can;
· Create colourful concept maps online
· Share and work with peers when creating concept maps
· Email, print and save their concept map for future reference.
Technology like Bubbl.us provides opportunity for students to summarize, identify patterns and create graphic organizers of key concepts. According to Dimension two, the use of graphic organizers is an effective strategy in organizing declarative knowledge. Overall students will highly benefit from this experience as it encourages reflection on the learning, offers variety in the lesson, provides for visual learners and gives students clear notes to refer back to. The teacher will of course have to monitor the development of these concept maps to ensure no incorrect connections are made. I highly recommend this tool; let me know what you think as I struggled to find any disadvantages.
· Create colourful concept maps online
· Share and work with peers when creating concept maps
· Email, print and save their concept map for future reference.
Technology like Bubbl.us provides opportunity for students to summarize, identify patterns and create graphic organizers of key concepts. According to Dimension two, the use of graphic organizers is an effective strategy in organizing declarative knowledge. Overall students will highly benefit from this experience as it encourages reflection on the learning, offers variety in the lesson, provides for visual learners and gives students clear notes to refer back to. The teacher will of course have to monitor the development of these concept maps to ensure no incorrect connections are made. I highly recommend this tool; let me know what you think as I struggled to find any disadvantages.
Hi Pauline,
ReplyDeleteI love your concept map and I have to admit it looks a lot more organised than mine. You have raised some really good points about this tool as way of organising information. It is probably also useful for consolidating and refining knowledge.
In accordance with your comments about the Dimensions of learning Framework, Allen (2007,41)agrees that using schema or concept maps in elearning is a great cognitive way to organise the student's knowledge. Therefore, I understand this tool to be one with a Cognitivism approach as it predominantly focuses on how knowledge can be developed through use of organising information.
One point this cognitivist tool does not take into account though is multiple intelligences or different learning styles. Being an auditory learner who scored very low in the visual, spatial and logical areas I found mind or concept mapping highly confusing. I seemed to lose track of my work every time a new bubble appeared and the use of colours distracted me from the content. This got me thinking that when in the classroom I have probably been more inclined not to use visual tools such as concept maps because for me they are not organising information but rather creating chaos. Upon reflection however, I now realise that by choosing not to use a tool based on my learning style means I may be isolating those students who prefer learning in another way. My point is that although you struggled to find any disadvantages to this digital tool, just remember that concept maps can be the nemesis of non-visual learners.
I do feel this tool has a place in the classroom and if we are to cater for a diverse range of learning styles may be best used following a collaborative framework such as Kearsley & Shneiderman's Engagement theory.
Let me know your thoughts on this.
Cheers,
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
ReplyDeleteYou have made some insightful comments; I agree this concept map will pose some trouble for learners that do not respond well to visuals. However, I still believe it offers major benefits for the classroom as it encourages students to experience the knowledge with their visual senses. According to Marzano and Pickering (1997) students should experience content using a variety of senses as this is a strategy for constructing meaning. It is well accepted that if students have the ability to create detailed mental images of content they are receiving, they will improve their comprehension and retention of information. The more senses they utilize to create these mental images, the better the results. (Marzano & Pickering, 1997, p.53).
Therefore I agree that concept maps used alone could pose some problems in the classroom but used in conjunction with other methods they are a great asset and help to ensure a multi-modal approach to teaching. This multi-modal approach to education is essential in the 21st classroom as there are so many different learning preferences within the room and children are exposed to a diverse range of multi-modal texts outside of the classroom context. Therefore we as future learner managers must equip ourselves with a variety of tool such as Bubbl.us that can encourage and support multi-modal education. Let me know what you think about this multi-modal approach.