Visual Learning
Graphic organizers and Word clouds
Research on effective teaching and learning strategies (Classroom Instruction That Works, Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock) identifies non-linguistic representation as one of the nine most effective strategies. The use of graphic organizers is an effective way to address different learning styles.
Pre-Assess your skills for this "Thing"
Aligned to NETS-T:1.a, 1.b, 2.a, 2.b, 2.c, 3.a, 3.b, 3.c, 3.d, 4.b, 5.a, 5.c
Connections to Marzano Strategies: Questions, Cues and Advance Organizers; Non-Linguistic Representations
Graphic Organizers
bubbl.us
bubbl.us is an online graphic organizer that offers you the ability to create mind maps online and share them. You are able to embed your bubbl.us mind map into a blog or website, send an email link, print, and save your mind map as an image. Click on the bubbl.us image for a video tutorial.
gliffy
Click on the image below to watch an overview of the features on this graphic organizer. To link directly to the site click here: gliffy's site.
View some flow-chart examples by visiting these samples. You can click on an example image to learn more about the particular type shown.
| Feel free to download and use this 2-sided handout on bubbl.us and gliffy in your classroom or educational training.
| ||
Word Clouds
Wordle
Wordle is one of the first to launch this unique free resource. You can change the colors, fonts, layouts, and color schemes. You can print them out and also share them with your students.
Tagxedo
This program lets you change the the words into different shapes and provides a lot of editing options, including different fonts, colors, and backgrounds. It lets you save your word cloud as a jpg or png image. It may require a download of Microsoft Silverlight.
21 Things Hands-On Activity and Assignment:
1. Before beginning this "Thing", complete the Pre-Assessment of your technology proficiency.
2. Create your own bubbl.us or gliffy diagram. For a gliffy diagram, you might consider including your creative commons copyright symbol. Take a screen shot and place it in your portfolio.
3. Create a word cloud using Wordle or Tagxedo by pasting in the text from your reflection. Copy it and include it in the portfolio.
4. Write a paragraph on how these tools can be helpful in your setting and different ways you might use it with students and/or peers.
5. After completing all of the activities for this "Thing", take the Post-Assessment of your technology proficiency for this "Thing".
Post-Assess your skills for this "Thing"
1. Webspiration - the Inspiration software version online in Beta format.
2. Check out Drop Mind, where you can create FREE visual and interactive presentations or mindmaps.
3. SimplyBox for education
4. MindMeister lets you work together online, and has a mobile application
5. WordSift - for a quick-start video, click here.
6. ABCya - educational games for kids, including Word Clouds
7. Corkboard.me is a site that creates a blank "corkboard" that allows people with the link to add "sticky notes" to the page. Great for brainstorms, to do lists, accessing prior knowledge, etc.
8. Primary Wall is another site that allows for community "sticky notes", but the site is more "elementary friendly".
21 Things for 21st Century Educators by CCRESA, IISD, MISD, SRESD is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at 21things.weebly.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://21things4teachers.net/. Page updated August 20, 2011
