On the class wiki site, post your favorite new Web 2.0 tool that has not been covered in detail in this class that you have discovered in this course or elsewhere. List the URL, what the tool is, and why you find it useful using the wiki template page. No duplication allowed-each page must be an original new tool. This can be done after reviewing the Unit 9 material, which covers more Web 2.0 resources.
SpiderScribe is a mind mapping tool that helps students brainstorm and organize information in creative way. It allows the user to create digital flow carts that will help them visualize concepts and chunk them to corresponding images and links. SpiderScribe can be used to help problem solve, brainstorm an essay, or plan out a project with the use of their stencils. SpiderScribe has multiple subscription plans. You may join under a personal account for free and gain access to an unlimited amount of public mind maps. You are also given an allowance to create two private maps and have access to 2 GB's of cloud storage for your maps. There are premium features that are added with paid subscription fees which range from 5-25$ a month, depending on your chosen plan. On the free personal program there are no pop-up ads but there is a permanent advertisement running down the right hand of the screen. It really does not interfere with your work, nor is it a nuisance. One of the best parts of this web 2.0 tool is the ability to share and collaborate your work. You may share a link with partners and they can either have access to view or edit the mind map to help facilitate a group project. You can also embed your completed mind map on your own personal website. This particular program does not have separate sections for teachers and students but can be easily accessed by all through the Personal account registration. SpiderScribe could make a great addition to many different classrooms, ranging from the elementary all the way through high school. While early elementary students may not be able to work independently on SpiderScribe, instructors could certainly use it in their lessons to help show students links in relationships. Middle school and High school students would be able to use the easy to access interface with little instruction. The uses are endless, creating outlines of texts, organizing lots of information into sections, creating study guides, and problem solving.
Educational Uses of Site
High school students could use SpiderScribe to create study guides. A lot of students are visual learners and best succeed if they have the ability to take information in text form and create visual flowcharts that help them understand and assimilate the content. The more students are hands on and take the lead in their own education the more they will retain. SpiderScribe allows students to create, manipulate, and organize information in a manner that best suits their needs. Using a mind map like SpiderScribe places students in the director's chair and they are empowered with deciding what information is important and how to organize it and in what manner. Another educational use for SpiderScribe could be for brainstorming and outlining an essay. Students can start out with their prompt or main idea in the center and link stenciled boxes together of different topic ideas and sub topic points. Students can use images and specific colors to help group and organize their thoughts. Not everyone is a linear thinker, and a mind mapping tool such as SpiderScribe allows individuals the ability to bounce back and forth from idea to idea, jotting points down before they lose them. They can then develop each thought at their own pace and order.
Review of Site
I really enjoyed using SpiderScribe's mind mapping tool. When given a task I often grab a piece of paper and start working it out, plotting out ideas and possible solutions. I loved the idea of being able to use images, text, maps, files, and links to help organize my thoughts. It was very easy to manipulate the stencil boxes, which is the best part of digital mind maps over pen and paper, in my opinion. I often change my mind or come up with other ideas mid-brainstorm, so being able to just point, click, and drag my ideas to different locations was ideal. Linking these stencil boxes is as easy as dragging the arrow from one box to another creating visual links to information. Users can add Google map images and calendar dates with notes into their mind map to help organize and locate information. There is also sharing ability for groups to complete and peer edit their work simply by sharing the link with one another. There is not much I would like to change about the SpiderScribe interface. My only real complaint is that it is missing an add video tool button. However, considering this is one of the best free mind mapping sites I have seen I will most certainly be using this web tool in my classroom very soon.
Unit 5.2A Assignment
On the class wiki site, post your favorite new Web 2.0 tool that has not been covered in detail in this class that you have discovered in this course or elsewhere. List the URL, what the tool is, and why you find it useful using the wiki template page. No duplication allowed-each page must be an original new tool. This can be done after reviewing the Unit 9 material, which covers more Web 2.0 resources.
Student Name:
Kathleen NyczTitle of Site:
SpiderscribeURL:
http://www.spiderscribe.net/Description of Site:
SpiderScribe is a mind mapping tool that helps students brainstorm and organize information in creative way. It allows the user to create digital flow carts that will help them visualize concepts and chunk them to corresponding images and links. SpiderScribe can be used to help problem solve, brainstorm an essay, or plan out a project with the use of their stencils. SpiderScribe has multiple subscription plans. You may join under a personal account for free and gain access to an unlimited amount of public mind maps. You are also given an allowance to create two private maps and have access to 2 GB's of cloud storage for your maps. There are premium features that are added with paid subscription fees which range from 5-25$ a month, depending on your chosen plan.
On the free personal program there are no pop-up ads but there is a permanent advertisement running down the right hand of the screen. It really does not interfere with your work, nor is it a nuisance. One of the best parts of this web 2.0 tool is the ability to share and collaborate your work. You may share a link with partners and they can either have access to view or edit the mind map to help facilitate a group project. You can also embed your completed mind map on your own personal website. This particular program does not have separate sections for teachers and students but can be easily accessed by all through the Personal account registration.
SpiderScribe could make a great addition to many different classrooms, ranging from the elementary all the way through high school. While early elementary students may not be able to work independently on SpiderScribe, instructors could certainly use it in their lessons to help show students links in relationships. Middle school and High school students would be able to use the easy to access interface with little instruction. The uses are endless, creating outlines of texts, organizing lots of information into sections, creating study guides, and problem solving.
Educational Uses of Site
High school students could use SpiderScribe to create study guides. A lot of students are visual learners and best succeed if they have the ability to take information in text form and create visual flowcharts that help them understand and assimilate the content. The more students are hands on and take the lead in their own education the more they will retain. SpiderScribe allows students to create, manipulate, and organize information in a manner that best suits their needs. Using a mind map like SpiderScribe places students in the director's chair and they are empowered with deciding what information is important and how to organize it and in what manner.Another educational use for SpiderScribe could be for brainstorming and outlining an essay. Students can start out with their prompt or main idea in the center and link stenciled boxes together of different topic ideas and sub topic points. Students can use images and specific colors to help group and organize their thoughts. Not everyone is a linear thinker, and a mind mapping tool such as SpiderScribe allows individuals the ability to bounce back and forth from idea to idea, jotting points down before they lose them. They can then develop each thought at their own pace and order.
Review of Site
I really enjoyed using SpiderScribe's mind mapping tool. When given a task I often grab a piece of paper and start working it out, plotting out ideas and possible solutions. I loved the idea of being able to use images, text, maps, files, and links to help organize my thoughts. It was very easy to manipulate the stencil boxes, which is the best part of digital mind maps over pen and paper, in my opinion. I often change my mind or come up with other ideas mid-brainstorm, so being able to just point, click, and drag my ideas to different locations was ideal. Linking these stencil boxes is as easy as dragging the arrow from one box to another creating visual links to information. Users can add Google map images and calendar dates with notes into their mind map to help organize and locate information. There is also sharing ability for groups to complete and peer edit their work simply by sharing the link with one another.There is not much I would like to change about the SpiderScribe interface. My only real complaint is that it is missing an add video tool button. However, considering this is one of the best free mind mapping sites I have seen I will most certainly be using this web tool in my classroom very soon.