Roadmap to unlocking the potential of the mind

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization,problem solving, decision making, and writing.

It has been suggested that the mind mapping technique can improve learning/study efficiency up to 15% over conventional note taking.

By using Mind Maps, you can quickly identify and understand the structure of a subject, and the way that pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts contained in normal notes.

More than this, Mind Maps encourage creative problem solving, and they hold information in a format that your mind finds easy to remember and quick to review

Applications of Mind Mapping for Education

• Lesson planning and preparation.
• Curriculum planning.
• Providing students with an overview of a subject.
• Teaching tool in the classroom.
• Student assessment.
• A tool which can be passed on to students to use themselves.

Mind mapping software also exist to make the process faster and more interactive within the class room. Here are some free software packages :

• FreeMind
• XMIND
• Compendium

There are also many pieces of proprietary software that allow the creation of mind maps. A few of which include:

• MindMapper
• Mindomo
• NovaMind

Mind Mapping for Education will greatly enhance your teaching skills, benefiting you – and your pupils.