Mind mapping. concept mapping, or brainstorming are three different names with almost the same meaning: collecting, organizing, and representing ideas, tasks, words, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea into a mind map diagram. Whichever kind of mapping you want to label it, web 2.0 has some free tools for you to help you perform it. I have meticulously compiled a list of some of the best free mapping tools for teachers and students to use.
Some pluses of using mind mapping tools in education:
The following are some of the advantages of using mind-mapping tools in education:
- Mind mapping enables teachers to manipulate ideas and concepts with great ease and flexibility
- It helps present information in a visually attracting and comprehensive way
- Its organizational structure helps students understand and communicate their knowledge effectively
- Teachers can use it to manage their classes and activities
- It helps teachers summarize, organize, and present lecture information
- It can be used by both teachers and students to create tutorials and explain difficult concepts
- Visual maps gets students attention and focus
- It promotes active note taking, thinking, and learning skills
- It fosters inquiry and problem solving
Here is a list of free mind mapping tools for teachers:
This is a great mind-mapping tool that allows users to easily visualize their ideas by connecting various pieces of information together and create free style maps. It also combines elements like text, images, files, calendar events and geographic locations.
Edistorm is a great web2.0 tool for educators. It allows you to work on your ideas during a structured brainstorming and organize them into sticky notes for others to see. It has two plans one is free and limited and the other is paid.
Wridea is an idea management service and a brainstorming tool. It allows its users to Create new idea entries in seconds, update details, discuss in depth with your friends and organize your data under different categories. Wridea can be a very useful tool for teachers and students.
Bubbl.us is another great mind mapping and brainstorming web2.0 tool. It allows its users to create concept maps in such an easy way with the minimum tools possible .You can create your project and invite your colleagues to join you in editing its content and when done you can share it with others via a generated link.
Wise Mapping is a free online mind maps editor that allows you to create and share your mind maps with others. It also lets its users create and edit colorful and complex mind maps using just mouse and keyword.
6- Lucid Chart
Lucid Chart is a flowcharts and mind map making tool. It uses simple drag and drop technique to draw charts and even lets users upload their images into diagrams. It has both free and pro plans. Free as you know is always limited.
Text 2 Mind Map is a cool website. It is an application that converts texts to mind maps.
It allows its users to create a visually attractive nodes for their blogs, websites or wikis. Nodes are visually displayed pieces of information that helps visitors easily navigate the content of your site so that they find what they are looking for with the minimum time possible. Check out this example of a Spicynode I created for this blog.
This is a browser-based online mind mapping application that allows you to keep track of all your ideas and create easy mind maps. It does not require any download or installation software, just log to your browser and launch the application.
It is one of the best applications for visual ideas. It combines presentations, mindmapping and online bulletins. It also allows users to integrate text, image, video, and Google maps and use it as a bulletin board to use it to record thoughts and many more.
ChartTool is a great tool from Google. This is basically a free service that allows users to create awesome charts and graphics. It has a rich gallery of charts of varying formats. Users can choose from Line charts, Bar charts, Pie charts, Map charts, Scatter charts, Venn charts, QR codes, and Google-O-Meter charts. Once you select a chart you can then customize it the way you want.
Chartle is a great web tool that allows users to easily and instantly create interactive charts. These charts can be used on your classroom blog or website and can also be printed out. Chartle has some very interesting features and is very easy to use. The only thing you will need to start using Chartle is to have Java activated on your browser.
Slatebox is another great presentation and online mind mapping tool. It allows its users the freedom to create as many nodes and maps as possible. It has both free and pro accounts
14- Gliffy
Gliffy is a diagram making web2.0 tool. It allows you to create great looking diagrams and drawings in a snap. It is similar to Bubbl.us.
Creately is an online diagraming and design application that is very easy to use. It offers a great way of working with teams in multiple locations and on several projects .It has both a free and premium version and of course the paid version has always more features to work with.
Diagram.ly is a free product of Jgraph, a company devoted to developing graph visualization software and web services. Diagram.ly is a very handy and useful tool for creating diagrams using clip arts and pre drawn shapes.
This one here has several other features such as including a clipart library, importing images from Google images or Flickr, and using video straight from YouTube. It has both free and pro accounts.
This is also a great mind-mapping tool that allows users to include icons, notes, links, attachment, and images into their diagrams. The free version has several ads and allows only for three maps.