18 Free Mind Mapping Tools for Teachers and Students 1- SpiderScribe 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. 2- EdistormEdistorm is a great web2.0 tool for educators. 4- Bubbl.usBubbl.us 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 . 5- Wise Mapping Wise Mapping is a free online mind maps editor that allows you to create and share your mind maps with others. 6- Lucid ChartLucid Chart is a flowcharts and mind map making tool . 7- Text 2 Mind MapText 2 Mind Map is a cool website . 8-Spicynodes It allows its users to create a visually attractive nodes for their blogs, websites or wikis .
Teaching Rigorous and Reflective Thinking By Derek D. Turner, Connecticut College Before we can enlist faculty across the disciplines to teach critical thinking, we must decide exactly what we mean by the term. The first characteristic of an ideal critical thinker, we might say, is that he or she has excellent pattern recognition skills. The critical thinker sees that two arguments are both disjunctive syllogisms, in much the same way that most people in our culture can see, without thinking much about it, that two cars are both Toyotas. The second characteristic that distinguishes the critical thinker is vocabulary. Third, and most important of all, becoming a rigorous and reflective thinker means adopting a certain ethical stance: habitual skepticism with respect to one's own views, a charitable attitude toward the views of others, and a recognition that getting to the bottom of things together always matters more than winning a dispute. Teaching critical thinking through writing assignments From peer editing to joint inquiry
Questioning – Top Ten Strategies “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein Questioning is the very cornerstone of philosophy and education, ever since Socrates ( in our Western tradition) decided to annoy pretty much everyone by critiquing and harrying people with questions – it has been central to our development of thinking and our capacity to learn. Most research indicates that as much as 80% of classroom questioning is based on low order, factual recall questions. Effective questioning is key because it makes the thinking visible: it identifies prior knowledge; reasoning ability and the specific degree of student understanding – therefore it is the ultimate guide for formative progress. 1. 2. Taken from ‘Mock the Week’, this simple little technique sparks the inquisitiveness within students – just by quickly reversing the standard question and answer dichotomy it can deepen their thinking. 3. 4. 5. Q1. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Added Extras:
Educator Resources | The Right Question Institute We’ve developed this resource page to help educators deepen their understanding of the QFT and offer materials to support implementation of the strategy. Our materials are available under a Creative Commons Sharealike license, which means you may use, adapt, revise, re-purpose, and share our materials. We ask that you reference the Right Question Institute by including “Source: rightquestion.org” on any materials you use or develop. * If you are already a member please login first to download our resources. Make Just One Change Use these resources to learn the process and how to facilitate the QFT. Experiencing the QFT This guide describes the key components of the QFT and includes a template that will allow you to experience the process. Introducing the QFT Into Your Classroom Practice This powerpoint will help you prepare for introducing your students or colleagues to the QFT. Steps of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) & Video Guide Make Just One Change Companion Guide
critical-thinking - home Discovery Education - Curiosity in the Classroom High School Teachers These Thinker's Guides are available through electronic license for educational institutions. Faculty and administrators - email cct@criticalthinking.org to inquire. This set includes the thinker’s guides which focus on the foundations of critical thinking. childrenthinking.co.uk How to teach mind mapping and how to make a mind map Mind mapping is a visual form of note taking that offers an overview of a topic and its complex information, allowing students to comprehend, create new ideas and build connections. Through the use of colors, images and words, mind mapping encourages students to begin with a central idea and expand outward to more in-depth sub-topics. Mind Map Example Definition of a Mind Map A mind map is a visual representation of hierarchical information that includes a central idea surrounded by connected branches of associated topics. Benefits of Mind Maps Help students brainstorm and explore any idea, concept, or problem Facilitate better understanding of relationships and connections between ideas and concepts Make it easy to communicate new ideas and thought processes Allow students to easily recall information Help students take notes and plan tasks Make it easy to organize ideas and concepts How to Mind Map Mind Maps in Education and Teaching with Mind Maps Mind Mapping Software
Lifelong Learning Resources | A Brief Guide to Mission to Learn If you are new to Mission to Learn, or have simply decided to spend a bit more time exploring what is here, the posts listed on this page represent good places to start. It’s also good to know that the whole focus here is on lifelong learning. I mean that not so much in the sense of accumulating knowledge about specific topics but rather in the spirit of how we can continually learn, grow, and live the most fulfilling lives possible. You will find plenty here about specific learning resources, but you will also find general perspectives on what it means to be a lifelong learner in a hyper-connected world, how to develop and improve learning habits, and how to actually get the most out of what you have learned (which is nearly always more than you realize!) in every day life. Naturally, you can also read more about Mission to Learn on the About page. A Definition of Learning A Definition of Learning Perspectives on Learning Learning Tools Learning Experiences The Organizational Perspective