It's Mindomo Over Matter!!

It’s Mindomo Over Matter!

The name of the tool I chose to review this week is Mindomo, a tool I recently became familiar with by using the free version.  The URL for this tool is http://www.mindomo.com/  .  I consider this tool to be a critical thinking and productivity tool.

 Mindomo is an online Web 2.0 mind-mapping tool.  The program is available with the option of a free version or one for a monthly fee.  After reviewing several of the mind mapping tools from our options list and because I’m fairly new with most of these Web 2.0 programs, I eventually chose to review Mindomo.  I found that this tool was the easiest to use- providing the user with a simplistic and basic tool that still allowed users to be creative with the use of color and layout. As with a hand written mind map or one created with post-it notes, your map can be as simple or complex as the user chooses to create.

From the creation of the title/topic, it takes just a couple clicks to enter topics and subtopics.  The user is able to arrange these topic boxes in a variety of layouts or move with click and drag.  Within the boxes, a user can enter images, hyperlinks, notes and symbols to enhance to content on the map.  Several color themes are available to aid in creativity.  You can also create relationships between the boxes with the click of a button!

I found Mindomo to be easy to use. I know that there is so much more for me to learn about using this tool (technology is not my friend this week), but can see how it will be something I will definitely use in the future. 

Before using Mindomo, it’s good to have a basic understanding of the purpose and construction of a mind map.  You should have basic to intermediate computer skills. 

How do you use this tool? 

      1.       Go to Mindomo and create an account by clicking Sign up.

By entering your first and last name, email and password you can begin working with Mindomo!

2.       After creating an account, log into the program.

3.       This link will take you to a short  Screencast video explaining some of the basic instructions to using Mindomo.

                                          http://screencast.com/t/kCPGQMSLkSCw

4.        You can share your Mindomo map with others through email or you may print your map 

As an instructor, I could use Mindomo in the following ways:

1.      Mindomo can be used in my public speaking courses for a brainstorming activity.  For instance, when choosing topics for speeches I have students do an activity where in a small group they come up with 30 topics in 3 minutes.  After this list has been created they can choose one topic and then use this tool to develop what they will be speaking about.

Let’s say that a group chooses Michael Jackson.  There are many different ways a student might head on this topic: music, scandal, Thriller, early celebrity death, famous families, etc.  In preparing a speech, students must come up with three main points to talk about.  By creating a map with the Topic of MJ, subtopics and sub-subtopics students can brainstorm how they would break each idea down.  By doing so, the students would probably find that there was an area that they were the most interested in pursuing! With the numbering feature students could number their top choices 1-5 with 1 being the speech they most want to prepare and present for the class.  The mind mapping on Mindomo could be an assignment in itself to help students see how information relates (or doesn't relate).

In this same type of exercise- actually a precursor for the above example- students could complete the actual 30 topics in 3 minutes (although time might have to be extended) by using Mindomo.  The center topic would be ‘Topics’,  Subtopics would include “People”, “Places”, “Music”, “Sports”, “Current Events”, “Things”.  At this point, students would mind map their random topics under each heading. 

2.       Another idea for Mindomo is in the College Success Skills course that I teach.  In an exercise, students consider different careers they may be interested in. Mind mapping would allow the students to create a visual that might include education requirements, skills they already have, average salaries, advantages and disadvantages of each career. 

3.       As a teacher I can use Mindomo to show relation between different areas in speech preparation.  I think sometimes I forget that just because I see how it all fits together, some students don’t!  Mind mapping with Mindomo would create a great visual to tie the components of speech together.

4.       Mindomo can be used to take notes in class or as a template for students to fill in while listening to your lecture.

5.       Mindomo can be used as a group presentation brainstorming tool.  Instead of writing information on a piece of paper it can be recorded electronically and emailed to all groups participants immediately following the completion of the brainstorming session.

 

The advantages to using Mindomo are it is fairly easy to learn and use.  It has simple graphics and the maps are easy to create.  Mindomo allows the user to access a selection of images and symbols that can be incorporated in the map.

The disadvantages to using Mindomo are that the graphics and abilities of the program might be too simplistic for an advanced user and that lots of the ‘cool’ features such as imbedding your own pictures or videos are not available on the free version of the tool.