Tag: Google Apps

Internet, Organization

Google Apps for Education: MindMeister

Sonya terBorg

mindmeister-ipad-logo

The second app I found through Google Apps is MindMeister – which was also referenced in this post. I signed up for a free account and created the following (click to enlarge):

Sample Mind Map 2

MindMeister allows for a collaborative approach to brainstorming or planning. You can add icons/images from the built-in library or source your own images. Links to websites can also be added. Files can be uploaded and attached but not with the free version. For the most part, this is fairly easy to use.  I didn’t use any tutorial to get started and didn’t have too many issues as it is fairly intuitive. When you are finished, you have a number of options for sharing (similar to sharing a google Doc) or exporting in a number of formats including PDF or an image file.

As we begin the Exhibition, I am looking for tools that will help with the planning and organizing for my students. I have previously used MindNode Lite, but this doesn’t seem to have the same range of features (sharing, exporting options) and MindMeister just seems a little more useful perhaps?

What online tools do you use for mind-mapping?

21st Century, Innovation, Internet

Google Apps for Education: EDCANVAS

Sonya terBorg

This morning I was taking a look through Google Apps for Education.  Here is one I thought was pretty interesting and worth sharing:

EDCANVAS

If you are familiar with Padlet (formerly known as Wallwisher), this is fairly similar. It is a place for you to store your research on a particular topic.  Sources of information can come from: your Google Drive (documents you have saved), YouTube, Flickr, Dropbox, Google Images and Searches, specific web addresses, files uploaded from your computer, and previously bookmarked links. Basically, anywhere! When you find the resource you want, simply drag and drop to your canvas, add a description of the resource and move on to adding more.

Sign-up is through your google account – which all my students have – so is seamless and easy, and upon signing up you are invited to watch a 30 second video explaining how it works.  I would recommend watching as it really is 30 seconds and it really will answer any questions you might have.

Once created, you have options for sharing your Canvas publicly, sharing it with select people, or keeping it private.  You can email, tweet, facebook or embed your canvas – or even share via QR code. My only complaint is that the embed code doesn’t appear to work with WordPress (grrr).

In addition to simply being a place to store resources, you can play your canvas to share your work with others.  Videos you have placed on the canvas will play within your presentation, documents will load up from your Google drive, websites will open and can be navigated on screen within the presentation before moving on to the next part of your canvas. I find there is a slightly higher quality to adding downloaded documents as opposed to uploading from your Google Drive, but that might just be me.

Here is my first canvas: Passion

For further information, check out the ABOUT EDCANVAS GUIDE