Mind Mapping

Challenge

Mind Mapping is the tool of choice when you want to get insights from a varied group of  individuals who come together. I work at Post Graduate College working with a large group of  students from different strata of the society with differences in social, language and family  background. The challenge is to create an awareness on the significance of continues learning,  Continues learning involves identifying a problem, looking for a solution and implementing the  solution, while doing so what do they learn, plays a major role in their life post college. Since the  students, come from different economic backgrounds their insights related to day-to-day problems  faced by other individuals is different.

Selection

When explaining a concept it is easier to remember and understand when one is able to empathize  with others. While explaining to students to empathize. I find that Mind map- and use of yard sale  technique helps in gaining insights from the varied group of students in how they look at the  problem. a chart paper and some sticky notes gives key insights about how they view the problem  and their suggestions on the solution.

Application

Each student is required to make a note on their strengths and weakness, one of the student is  selected as a leader who then gets to create a team of students based on the description of the  problem that has been given to them. The team then has to gather data on the problem by any  sources necessary, which includes interviews with people effected as well experts in the domain  or from secondary sources of data as well. Once done they need to arrange their idea of the process   which includes the concepts that are important, and how they are connected to one another and the  area where they think the problem arises from. They then use sticky notes to collect necessary  insights from other group on the said problem and then develop a solution that is viable, desirable  and feasible. Which is then tweaked again after getting insights on the said solution from other  groups.

Insights

While there are many other approaches to make lifelong learning a habit the use of mind mapping  as tool has helped my students getting the perspective of the their peers as well of the people who  have been affected by the said problem. The art of asking right questions and looking for apt  answers is what they gain. The logical flow of developing a solution for the problems faced is what  creates habitual learning.

Approach

Approaches like Storytelling is helpful to make a topic more interesting, but to have a meaningful  learning outcome one has to see through the eyes of others. Thus, the mind mapping approach is  suitable when the students are an active bunch and there is enough space to move about, for  learning to be effective. Once they go through the process, majority of them start thinking from  other perspectives and try to solve problems they face in a better way.

