Least Tern > Workshops > 1-Day Workshops

Digital Mapping

Miss Porter's School - June 25, 2003

What is Digital Mapping?

Beginnings:

• Tony Buzan - Mind Mapping - overview
• How to Mind Map (on paper)
• James Cook University - JCU Study Skills Online - makes use of drawn maps to increase student learning

Digital Mapping is a tool for:

• Visualization of a history, a process or a how-to:
  • historical records and events
  • steps to completion of a goal: project, pyramids, research, construction project
  • life: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
• Visualization of sequential growth
  • thematic development
  • biological growth
  • cause-effect
  • character development
• Visualization of interrelationships
  • biological
  • sociological
  • literary
  • mathematical
  • time and distance
• Visualization of cycles
  • programming loops
  • cycles in nature
  • man-made cycles
• Visualization of patterns
  • animating
  • tiling & tessellating
  • number patterns
• Visualization of difference and similarity
  • compare - contrast
  • Venn diagrams
  • grouping of like elements
• Visualization of problem-solving steps
  • Research (Big 6 and others)
  • Note-taking (SQ3R and others)
  • Logical and programming problems
  • Social and community problems
• Visualization of random elements: brainstorming
• Collaboration
  • Merging group input
  • Delegating
  • Refining
  • Expanding
  • Archiving
  • Decision-making

Digital Mapping outputs:

• timelines
• outlines
• lists
• storyboards
• flowcharts
• portfolios
• web pages, web sites
• illustrations - posters, banners, images, diagrams
• slide shows
• animations
• application documents
• blogs

50 Uses of Inspiration and Kidspiration

Inspiration Extensions - Unconventional Uses

Why Use Digital Mapping? (instead of paper or dialogue or no mapping)

• Visual learning, visual impact
• Auditory and creative components
• Learning through process as well as product
• Left and Right Brain involvement (logic and creativity, order and spontaneity)
• Let the computer do the drawing - easy to create
• Short learning curve
• Technology skill development
• Reproducible
• Easily shared - COLLABORATIVE
• Time for reflection and detail
• Easily altered and manipulated
• Variety of publication options
• Compact product
• Archiving

What Makes a Good Mapping Assignment?

• A good question, an engaging problem
• A controlled content range, appropriate to the age group (time span, focus, subject, theme)
• A process that has learning potential
• Clear structural plan - template or expected outcome (less important for older students)
• Preliminary research, discussion, reflection
• Collaborative possibilities
  • branching topics
  • intersecting topics
  • multi-part process
  • many possible answers
  • multiple inputs desired
• Visual and media possibilities (images, sounds, movies, archived or created as part of the mapping process)

The Mapping Process

1. Main Idea or Essential Question
2. Generate Possible Responses or Subtopics
   1. Brainstorm
   2. Research
   3. Read
   4. Dialogue
   5. Problem-solve
   6. Reflect
3. Review - Reflect - Discuss
   1. Filter, Delete
   2. Add
4. Order - Connect - Categorize
5. Expand
   1. Subdivide
   2. Annotate
   3. Illustrate
   4. Hyperlink
   5. Label
6. Decorate
   1. Sounds
   2. Images
   3. Styles - text, symbols
7. Publish
   1. Print
   2. Export
      1. To an application
      2. To text
      3. to HTML
      4. Notes about exporting:
         1. Files and folders generate
         2. Pay attention to what you are linking to
         3. When links will remain active
         4. Saving to previous versions
         5. A note about Preferences and things to click or unclick
   3. Present

   See also: 

   How to Make a Digital Map
   Eight Steps to Planning a Concept-Based, Integrated Unit - webbing is essential to the plan - Memphis Schools
   Merging Two or More Inspiration Files

Samples

Samples have been created in both TimeLiner and Inspiration. The links below are to web page versions. Real-time examples will be displayed during the workshop.

TimeLiner:

Our creations:

• How to Add Fractions
• The Life Cycle of a Frog

  Timelines online ( a sampler):

• HyperHistory - an interactive world history timeline with several levels, hyperlinked to web sites
• About.com - Timelines - over 8,000 hits covering world history topics
• TimeLiner Online - links to sites containing timelines - you will also find free templates here for the application

Inspiration:

Find it online:

• Social Studies maps and web projects from the Cedar Community, Skowhegan Island, Maine - student work
• Creating a WebQuest
• Literacy Concept Maps - click on Concept Maps - literature maps from Oswego, NY

  Our creations:

• Planet X assignment
• The Man, the Wolf, the Goat, the Cabbage
• Lily Pad Growth
• Tiling with a Do...Loop - visual representation of steps in True Basic graphical programming
• Character & Concept Maps from The House of Dies Drear
• Comparing TimeLiner and Inspiration
• What is Digital Mapping?

  Inspiration Extensions - Unconventional Uses

Other:

• Graphic Organizers - .pdf file templates from Houghton Mifflin - good for Elementary and short Middle School assignments
• Life Cycle of a Butterfly
• PC Magazine: Search Web - schematic showing the relationships between search engines, from the article How to Find Anything Online
• Tools for Reading, Writing, Thinking - a variety of tools for critical thinking, critical reading, and collaboration, from Greece, NY Public Schools

Assessment of Mapping Projects

Mapping is best assessed with a rubric or other authentic assessment. Samples of mapping rubrics can be found at these sites:

• RubiStar - contains customizable rubrics for Timelines, Storytelling, Project design, and more
• Performance Task Assessment: Graphic Organizer - for Lower School
• Information Summary Rubric - can be adapted for upper level student work
• Template Model - adjust this to fit the needs of your assignment
• TeAch-nology.com Timeline Rubric - very good for a chronological use of TimeLiner

Planet X Assessment rubric - hyperlinked to our Planet X Assignment map

See also our complete list of Assessment Rubrics

Software Tools

Many software tools exist for digital mapping. Two of the best, TimeLiner and Inspiration, are the subject of this workshop.

For a general view of What Makes a Good Mapping Tool, view our Diagram. For a comparison of these two tools, see our map, Comparing TimeLiner and Inspiration.

Links to specific application sources and resources online:

• TimeLiner
  • Official site - Tom Snyder
  • Tutorials & Basics - from the Plymouth schools
  • Lesson plans and samples
    • Literacy Activities for Software Applications - includes elementary level activities for Inspiration, Kidspiration and Timeliner
    • Using TimeLiner in the Classroom - includes webquests that use TimeLiner
• Inspiration & Kidspiration
  • Official site
  • Tutorials:
    • Inspiration Modules - using Inspiration in the Classroom, tutorial for skills - from Internet4Classroom.com
    • Inspiration Teacher's Guide
    • Kidspiration Tutorials - from the North Canton City Schools
  • Atomic Learning - fee based tutorials - very reasonable - cover several versions - currently a free Kidspiration tutorial for Mac users
  • Lesson plans and samples
    • 50 Uses of Inspiration and Kidspiration
    • Literacy Activities for Software Applications - includes elementary level activities for Inspiration, Kidspiration and Timeliner
    • Flashes - online version of electronic newsletter for Inspiration and Kidspiration - you can subscribe
• Other Specialized Tools
  • Belvedere - open source application created for middle school
  • CMap - free to educators, this tool creates linked and subdivided diagrams with labeling and limited formatting - a huge advantage is the ability to mount maps on network to facilitate collaboration - screen shot of sample diagram (incomplete) - a powerful tool for Windows, Linux and Solaris (no longer for Mac)
  • OmniGraffle 3 - Mac OS X only - more sophisticated tool set and drawing palette
  • SMART ideas - from the creators of the Smart Board, this mapping software is sleeker than Inspiration, without bells and whistles - it has a large template library suitable for High School - sample diagram (incomplete) -30-day preview available for download - available only from authorized resellers
  • MindManager Mobile and MindManager - combination provides a Palm and desktop solution - available from resellers or Mindjet solutions - PC only
  • Tinderbox - a new tool, combining a blog-creator with a note mapper - relatively expensive, but attractive for advanced Upper School students
  • VisiMap Lite ($45) and VisiMap ($117) - from British company called CoCo Systems - PC only - contain much of the functionality of Inspiration - full version allows for network sharing of maps via email or with a free viewer application
  • MINDMAP from Concept Draw ($99 standard) - cross platform solution - demo download is available - French and German language versions are also available - a high-end solution marketed also to industry - complex drawing tools
• Handheld Apps
  • ThoughtManager - organize and share most teaching tasks, from lessons to assessment to grading
  • PicoMap - free software for the Palm platform, developed by Hi-CE and now available from GoKnow - an advantage of this software is its ability to superimpose one map on another via "beaming", making it a useful tool for field work, class trips, and other out-of-school activities - currently not available for OS X but promised for July 2003
  • BrainForest - trial download available - works on all platforms - good for project organization
• General Tools
• Microsoft Word -
  • excellent for creating Tables (compare/contrast, relating ideas)
  • a library of graphical symbols into which text can be inserted
  • hyperlinking
  • sharing across the network (comment and track changes features)
  • generates web pages
• AppleWorks
  • Draw view can be used for webbing
  • generates web pages
  • Database view can be used to create a layout for timelines, process steps
  • Presentation view can create linear or chronological slide show or animation
• HyperStudio, MicroWorlds, PowerPoint, KidPix
  • chronological or linear presentation of change over time
  • process steps involved both in creation and in product
  • many creativity tools
  • sound recording and input
  • sharing of completed projects possible (to vary degrees)
• Dreamweaver
  • ability to create layers makes mapping design easy
  • outputs to web
  • project can be shared within a community of users
• Flash
  • timeline approach to project development
  • easy to combine text and symbols
  • media elements
  • fairly steep learning curve for students
  • outputs to web

Resources for Workshop

Images for a Neighborhood Walk

Life Cycles:

• Workshop Image Library - images will be posted for workshops only
• Frogland
• Frog Life Cycle - alternate images - you will need an image editor
• Becoming a Frog - my image source
• The Bug World from A to Z: Mosquitoes - my image source - facts for project
• Life Cycle of a Butterfly - painted lady
• Lily Pad Puzzle - chart of exponential grow - inspiration for my activity
• Fragrant Water Lily - scroll down to the Reproduction section
• How to Plant a Water Lily in Your Pool - these can serve as directions to accompany the images
• How to Plant a Water Lily - my image source

An e-text exercise: Frog Footsteps game - creating directions for playing this game would be a good digital mapping exercise

Inspiration Ideas:

• E-text exercise A: Juvenile Crime Puzzle - solve the puzzle with a map
• E-text exercise B: Annotating Macbeth ("She should have died...") - paste the text into Inspiration and annotate it with symbols and notes
• Note-taking exercise - pick a speech from Documents for the Study of American History - map its main points - hyperlink to historical and biographical information on the web

Digital resources: Don't forget about Yahooligans,  Google - Image search, and the image, sound and movie libraries that come with Inspiration, TimeLiner, MicroWorlds, HyperStudio, AppleWorks, Microsoft Office, KidPix - raid your resources!!!

• The Clip Art Gallery - "educational" clip art, copyright free - Discovery Channel
• Kids Image Search Tools - from KidsClick - general search enablers plus links to collections for Art, Astronomy, Animals and History/Society
• Awesome Library - links to clip art collections
• Map Resources from Global SchoolNet
• Speech Archive from the History Channel - Real Audio (.ram) files
• Landmarks for Schools - "Raw Data" for use in the classroom - images, sounds, speeches, maps - links to sources, citation tutorials, indexed
• Apache, Pueblo and Zuni Indians - images and information for a compare-contrast or relational or timeline map
• Reference Information for Elementary School Students - Use this site to build your own "portal" for a project - includes encyclopedias, maps and more - from Linda J. Burkhart
• General Reference Sites for Middle School Student Searching - links to encyclopedias, maps, dictionaries, biographies
• Educational Hotlists from the Franklin Institute
• Teaching & Learning Academy Links for K-12 - from Memphis Schools - wonderful starting point for most educational topics - links to portals and subject-specific resource sites

Resources to Learn More about Digital Mapping

• The Concept Mapping Classroom - article with lesson plans from Education World online
• Creativity Web - from Charles Cave - follow the link to Mind Mapping - links and information in support of Tony Buzan's mind mapping concept
• The Concept Mapping Homepage
• MI & Technology: A Winning Combination - research and conference findings from The University of Rhode Island and The Rhode Island Foundation, dealing with Multiple Intelligences and Technology
• Left and Right Sides of the Brain - straightforward summary of current research
• Multiple Intelligences - the nine intelligences in a digital map

A Note About Copyright

We remind you that Fair Use regulations and Copyright Law apply to digital mapping projects. Images, sounds, text and media elements, other than the original work of the creator, fall under the Fair Use guidelines. To learn more about these guidelines, visit our Internet Ethics and Safety site.

E. Sky-McIlvain 3/26/04