Interesting blog assignment this one is. It's all about the visual, really. How can basic concepts of planning, communication and thought processes that are so important to teachers be displayed and shared with the new forms of web-based tools that seemingly come out every week?
Mindmeister: I couldn't get my head around it. It's simply not my kind of thing. I see the value and use, but I don't see utilizing it as a teacher. It's far too convoluted. Bubble was far more user-friendly and best of all, entertaining. I think a big part of dealing with 21st century digital flowcharts is enjoying putting them together. Not seeing them necessarily as a chore. Flowchart was somewhere in between a hurdle (more because of the interface) and an effective tool. Once I got over some of the design details, it was a piece of cake. I could see myself putting the program to use in my history class. Last but not least, Gliffy. This was by far my favorite of the web-tools. Lots of effective layouts; a simple yet detailed environment to work within and results that paid off. Flowcharts aren't going away anytime soon. They have their place in the academic world. In fact, with the right the ideas and right concepts in using them, they can be a teacher's best friend.
It can be a teachers best friend and a students, I mean being able to direct your students onto the Giffy site. They then will be able to organize there thoughts for projects, papers and other assignments. The ease of use can allow for students to become proficient at making flow charts and hopefully they will also find it fun. And most importantly it can allow the student to organize their thoughts to increase their academic achievements.
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