36 Web Sites About Concept Maps (Also Known as Mind Maps)

With the new and great tools of Web 2.0, brainstorming is easier than ever. Not only can you visualize your thoughts, but you can collaborate with others in real time! Here are many applications to choose from. Next posting: Create Comics Online

Biggerplate- choose from a collection of mind maps for education

Bubbl.us-brainstorm and mind map online

Classroom Assessment Technique: Concept Maps- video from the Center Instructional Innovation and Assessment

Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping- Michael Zielik shows how concept maps have helped him assess his students' understanding of the subject matter in his course.

Concept Mapping- from the Center for Teaching and Learning

Concept Maps: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words- from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Connected Mind- use with Google Chrome browser

Dabbleboard- interactive whiteboard

Diagrammr- very simple user interface

Edistorm- free and $$ plans; online brainstorming

Edraw Soft- "build, save, share and print arbitrary mind maps absolutely free"; download required

Exploratree- offers many "thinking guides" which you can use for creating your mind map

FolderBoy-"record ideas, collaborate on tasks and unscramble your workflow"

Free Resources for Thinking Maps

Gliffy-create flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, technical drawings

HeadCase-import text from MS Office documents;Windows only

How to Build a Mind Map in Microsoft Word

How to Convert Text to a Mind Map

How to Mind Map with Tony Buzan-leading expert on the brain and learning

Knowcase- collaborative lists, save ideas, notes, to-dos

MAPMYself- free plan offers only 2 online maps per account

Mind42- browser-based online mind mapping

Mindmeister-mind mapping and brainstorming; available for iPhone and Android

Mindomo-collaborate-organize-share

Pinball

Quicklyst-create outlines; instant access to the Webster-Merriam dictionary, integrates with iPhone, Android and Kindle

Slatebox- create collaborative mind maps and organizational charts

SlickPlan- free flowcharts

Spiderscribe-online mind mapping and brainstorming; connects notes, files, events; PC World choice

Ten Takeaway Tips for Using Authentic Assessment in Your School- from Edutopia

Text to Mind Map Converter 

Thinklinkr-create and share outlines

View Your Mind

Whys and Hows of Assessment: Concept Maps- from Carnegie Mellon

Wisdomap

WiseMapping- create mind maps

36 Web 2.0 Tools For Collaboration

My current Web 2.0 tools listing is divided into close to 25 categories. As I am in the process of moving to this website, I'm checking links and presenting each category on a different day. The first posting will be on collaboration tools. I've kept this list to only 36 because a. I don't want to overwhelm you;  b. A lot of them are pretty much the same. Next post: Collecting Information

30 Boxes- online collaborative calendar

The Awesome Highlighter- highlight text on webpages for sharing

Bounce- screen capture a page and share parts with others

Bubbl.us- brainstorm with the colleagues; create mindmaps

Cacoo- create online diagrams in real time with many collaborators

CoSketch- online whiteboard; visualize and share your thoughts as images

Crocodoc- share and review documents online

Dabbleboard- online whiteboard for collaboration; free and $$ plans

Doodle- schedule events, meetings or study groups.

Fill Any PDF- upload your pdf and share the form and the data

Flockdraw- collaborative drawing online

GoogleDocs- work with others on documents; each person is given a color so you can see who is adding what to your document

IDroo- online educational multiuser whiteboard; download needed (free for non-commercial use)

JoinMe-share computer screens with your colleague; requires program download

Layers.com-convert your website or blog into a meeting spot for you and your collaborators

Meetifyr-online shared calendar

Meet With Approval- arrange a meeting and access from any Internet device

ProBoards- free forums and discussion boards

Project2Manage- "online project management application that helps you stay up-to-date, on task and connected with your team."

Protonotes- "notes that you add to your prototype that allow project team members to discuss system functionality, design, and requirements directly on the prototype."

Reddynote- plan and share tasks

Scribblar- real-time image and drawing collaboration

SocialWok-exchange ideas, Google Apps and files with colleagues

Spiderscribe- brainstorm by connecting files, text notes, documents, images, events

Stixy-online bulletin board

Ta-da Lists- "web's easiest to-do list

Teachers Connecting- "A place for K-12 teachers to find other teachers for cross-classroom collaboration."

Thinklinkr- "web's first ever real-time, fully collaborative outliner. Create and share outlines in your web browser for free."

Titanpad- allows people to work on the same document simultaneously

Tokbox- chat with up to 20 people at the same time for free

Twiddla- web-based meeting place

Voicethread- collaborate and share ideas with other classrooms around the world

Vokle-host your show or live event online

Voo2do- to-do list which "checks priority, due date and time estimates for each task".

Voxopop- create an online message board (can be private) with real voices.

Vyew-real time visual collaboration

Have You Tried Backchanneling in Your Classroom? Why Not Try These 33 Web Sites and Videos!

Backchanneling: using networked computers to maintain real-time online conversation alongside live spoken remarks- Wikipedia

Several of the junior high school language arts teachers in my building have been using Edmodo with great success. It's great to see seventh graders excited about sharing ideas and communicating online. It doesn't hurt, of course, that Edmodo reminds the kids of Facebook.

5 Ways to Use Twitter to Avoid a Backchannel Disaster- from Mashable.com


7 Things You Should Know About Backchannel Communication

9 Tips for Enriching Your Presentations with Social Media- from Mashable.com


10 Observations About Backchanneling- written by David Warlick, an educator with the popular blog, 2 Cents Worth.

10 Reasons to Try Backchannel Chat

Back Noise - works with web browsers and iPhone, iPod and iPad


Backchanneling Explained- this video explains what takes place in a classroom using backchanneling:

Backchannel in Education-Nine Uses- written by Dr. Derek Bruff, who has an interest in teaching with clickers (his blog is all about this)


Backchannel Discussion- LiveBinder


Backchanneling in Grade 1- first grade teacher's blog post includes the video below:


Backchanneling in Middle School Social Studies

Backchanneling with Elementary School Students- written by educator Silvia Tolisano, whose Langwitches blog very popular


BackNoise- create conversations on the fly


Cacoo- collaborate on online diagrams

Chatzy-have your own private chat room simply by inviting people and giving them the URL

Donut Chat- filter words, manage many rooms and embed in your web site

Edmodo- classes can have their own micro blogging network; students can communicate in real time, teachers can post assignments, questions for discussion

Google Wave-invite people into a conversation, post any links you might have, see text in real time and use many gadgets Google has.


HootCourse-  take your class conversation online


Installing a Backchannel in My Classroom This Week- from Cool Cat Teacher Vicki Davis


Joint- group chat for Twitter (my school blocks Twitter, so this one is out for us..)


Kicking it Up a Notch: Back-channels in the Classroom- from K12 Online Conference


MeetingWords- real time collaborative text collaboration

MicroMobs- "name your mob" and "create your mob"; easily create your group discussion and share info, images, links etc.

Neat Chat- very easy site to use; simply enter the nickname and click "start group"; then email URL to people you want to invite.


Notaland- online collaboration

PinDax- take notes, upload images and chat in real-time; click here to see demo

Present.ly- allows you to create a private micro-blogging network if you have the same email domain; collaborate in real time


Scribblar- Multi-user whiteboard, live audio,image collaboration, text-chat and more:

Skrbl- interactive whiteboard allows you to chat, draw, write text in one spot


Today's Meet- create your room and collaborate in real time


Twiddla- online meetings; some accounts $$, one is free with limitations

Using Backchannels in the classroom

View more presentations from Richard Byrne

What is the Backchannel? 

My 100th Post on Blogger: The Digital Generation Speaks: A Video For Educators

Here's a video which was produced by middle school students in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It should be seen by all teachers, because the classroom needs to be adapted for this generation of digital learners. Thank you to math teacher Scotti Glasgow for tweeting this.

Have You Tried Internet Projects in Your Class? Here are 24 Great Places to Start

I first learned about Internet projects when I took a class about technology integration. The teacher of the course, Dr. Donald J. Leu explained to us that Internet projects involve collaboration between classrooms, usually to solve a common problem. You can create your own project or join one of the many projects which have already started. Click here to view Dr. Leu's lectures on Internet project. (They are under part 3) See if you'd like to try any of the ideas below.

Benefits of Internet Projects

Bucket Buddies- students collect samples of water from local ponds

ePals Global Community- world's largest K-12 learning network

The Flat Stanley Project- younger kids really love this!

Global Grocery List Project- students share grocery prices

The Global Virtual Classroom- "collection of free, on-line educational activities and resources. It aims to complement the efforts of governments and education departments around the world to integrate technology into their classrooms and curricula and to link their schools to the information superhighway."

GlobalSchoolNet.org- find online expeditions, view photos & video gallery

Grades 1-9 Internet Projects

GSN Internet Projects Directory- "the original clearinghouse for collaborative projects from across the globe - projects hosted by the Global SchoolNet Foundation, other reputable organizations, and outstanding partner projects conducted by teachers worldwide!"

iLearn Collaboration Centre

Internet Project Ideas- good for junior high school students

Internet Projects- a list of seventeen links are on this page, including Thinkquest and  Sharing NASA

Internet Projects for Arithmatic- 9 ideas listed

Internet Projects for Kindergarten

Journey North- "Journey North engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share their own field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales, bald eagles— and other birds and mammals; the budding of plants; changing sunlight; and other natural events. "

Kidlink Project Center- students design global and collaborative projects

Monster Exchange- "encourages the development of reading and writing skills while integrating Internet technology into the classroom curriculum."

My Hero Project- kids share stories about their heroes, from everyday people to famous people

Newsday- students write articles which they share with the world

Online Expeditions

Share a Historical Book Project

The Odyssey- students travel around the world and see what it's like to live in different places

Teacher's Guide to International Collaboration on the Internet- comprehensive site from the U.S. Department of Education

Vicki Blackwell's Online Projects for Kids

Let's Talk About the Cloud

The other day, I was asked by an administrator to explain in simple terms what cloud computing was. I thought about it for a second, and then said this: Your files are on your desktop computer right now, right? Well, imagine if they were out there (I pointed to the sky) and you could access them wherever you had Internet access. I further explained that using their servers instead of ours would be much more practical and safe, given that a company like Google has their own huge group of tech people and thousands of servers with secure encryption. The cloud would be like a big bubble protecting all our files. Web 2.0 is a big part of cloud computing as it involves online programs which we allow us to collaborate with others. I personally like cloud computing. I use GoogleDocs and I am trying to interest my school district in Google Apps for Education. (After all, it's good enough for Brown University...) I know that people feel very concerned about personal files being out on the web, and I never store anything that sensitive in the cloud.

Here's a short video which explains cloud computing:

Web 2.0 for Newbies

Chances are you are quite overwhelmed with all the technology that has bombarded you this school year.  I consider myself a real tech geek, and even I have had a headache many times because I felt that I just couldn't keep up with how fast Twitter postings, Google Reader postings and web searches arrived on my desktop. With that said, I have narrowed my list down to the 12 basic Web 2.0 tools I feel I can't live without. With so many choices, I kept my list to those apps which are free, easy to learn and use. Basics....just the basics are here. Please add your choices to the comments section at the end of this post.

Open publication - Free publishing - More free apps

Pegby Lets You Collaborate Online

I saw this neat little app on The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness and I have to say it's a great way to work with your colleagues on a project. The premise is simple: create a card, put it on your board, design the number of columns you want, add more cards to your "stack" and share with others.
Here's a quick video which shows Pegby:

Pegby in Two Minutes from Pegby on Vimeo.

Penzu: A Free Online Journal

A colleague approached me today to ask for suggestions for a new class she is teaching in the fall. One of the things she wants her students to do is keep an online journal (private, not shared with the world) and allow the teacher to view excerpts during the semester. I came across a free app called Penzu, which looks liked a sheet of lined paper when you view it online. Students can email parts of their journal to the teacher and don't have to worry about saving their entries, because Penzu has an autosave feature. Here's a video which gives an overview of Penzu:

eduTecher Has a Load of Free Resources

If you're looking for a site which is visually appealing and easy to navigate, eduTecher is the site for you. Here you will be able to find free web resources you can use or share with other teachers around the world. With a section called eduTecherTV, you can watch videos on different web tools. Searching for classroom resources couldn't be easier. Choose your grade level and subject area and you are given a long list of resources to choose from. Each tool is given a description, and you can add your own comment or tag, share with a colleague or just go to the site for that tool. eduTecher is an excellent site!