Bubbl.us is an online tool that allows you to generate mind mapping and brainstorming diagrams immediately. Thoughts and ideas are linked by colourful and readable text bubbles which can be printed or posted online. Bubbles are connected to the parent bubble and are colour coordinated according to hierarchy. It is fun, quick and easy to use. Bubbl.us is simple and not too complex, which should fit into a classroom setting easily.

WHAT IS bubbl.us?

· Bubbl.us is a free flash based mind mapping tool that is available to everyone.

· Users are required to create an account and can then begin to use the tool free of charge.

· Bubbl.us is a fantastic tool for not only students and teachers but for anyone looking to organise information in a logical, interactive and visual manner.

· Within the mind map each word is what we call multi-ordinate, which means it is also a centre and more words can then sprawl out from this one and therefore we are left with a very directed organisation pattern.[1]

[1] Buzan, T Use your Head, BBC Books, London 1982

Click here to go to Educause Learning Initiative.

Collaboration Tools. This paper looks at how students are already using Web2.0 tools in social settings and at school. It outlines some common tools and talks about features, benefits, challenges and issues related to these tools.

References

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Please feel free to comment or add to this page.

Not sure if this is the right way to respond to your work but here goes...

Thanks so much for sharing this site - what a fantastic tool. I really appreciate the fact that you have put the analysis of the tool into an educational context and explored future uses of the tool. I will certainly be able to find application for this in my school context and would not have encountered it if not for your work. The fact that kids will not need licenses for expensive software in order to share their thinking in this way is great. Thanks again for your hard work - well worth it and keep up the sharing in your future learning communities. Judy Beal - Woodcroft Primary School

Thanks Judy for your comment. We enjoyed this adventure and as up and coming teachers we believe that activities like these are invaluable. There are many web2.0 tools out there, the number growing rapidly, it would be impossible to investigate them all in a short time. We thought this tool was fantastic as the sign in was really simple and uncomplicated (just what you need for a classroom setting) it's free but mostly if you just want a quick brainstorm session with the students you do not need to log on. We could also see students engaged and participating in the activity at hand especially if used with a whiteboard. Tony Buzan's website is well worth the visit, he has some very interesting points on how mind mapping reflects a human brain. Cheers Angie and Amy.

Comments:

From bail0178 - 11/18/09 7:48 AM

I thought the page was extremely useful and relevant. One thing I thought was lacking on the education pages was specific examples of how you could use the tool. For example in history you could use it to ...., in english you could use it to ...

I also came across this video which I think should be linked to your page because it provides a very good overview of how to use the tool. Good work! The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2nrVVqikjE.

From mart0463 - 11/6/09 9:37 AM

Hello,

Well done on your wiki page! I found it to be really helpful and informative. However, I did think your "Potential Challenges" section could have been a little more informative and explained a little better. Also it might be benefital to your readers to include some kind of comparision of Bubbl.us to other mind mapping websites out there?

Anyways well done again! you've done a fantastic job!

Regards

James Martin

From tsweeney - 11/10/08 4:26 PM

Well done on providing a clear and informative page on bubble.us
Your page is comprehensive and includes something for everyone. It will be good to see comments from others to see if they have discovered this tool and found it successful to enhance student learning. I really like the link to the Educause article and your extensive references (including to Buzan).

From tsweeney - 11/10/08 4:22 PM

Last Modified 10/29/08 11:10 AM