Reﬂection - Mind Mapping

Challenge :

I am an educator and I encourage my students to work on diﬀerent projects that are real world

problems which help them learn better and use information to deﬁne a problem and generate

ideas to solve the problem. I often face the problem with students not able to collate information

in a way that can help them ﬁnd problems/ patterns in the provided or gained data or even

organise the information in a better way. As students are required to gain a lot of data for a

particular overarching issue it becomes confusing to understand which area to focus on to deﬁne

a problem and generate an idea. The data does not allow the students to focus on diﬀerent

issues, it also does not help them collate ideas from peers thus missing out on patterns in their

data that might help them to deﬁne a particular problem and generate ideas. Students are thus

focusing only on the already existing solutions as the lack of understanding patterns in data does

not allow them to generate better ideas.

Selection:

The tool I selected was mind mapping as it really helps students understand patters in their already

gained data. Mind mapping is an effective design thinking tool for people (students in this case) to

organise their thinking, put forth data in an effective way, look for patters or themes or repetition in

their data. This in turn helps better understanding, deﬁning the problem that can be understood

from the already gained data and also analyse the data in a way to generate insights or ideas

about the problem and for the problem respectively. Mind Mapping has helped students organise

their data in a better way, understand patterns in their data and also collaborate with their peers in

an effective way leading them to better idea generation. With Mind mapping students were able to

understand the genuine problem, deﬁne the problem (what is stage) and generate better ideas

(what if stage).

Application:

I used mind mapping in one of my class where students were supposed to solve problems related

to stubble burning that happens in the farms and how it affects the farmers and their ﬁeld in the

long run and the environment as well. Students collected data about what is stubble burning, how

often do people follow it in the near by area, the hazards of stubble burning, effect on the

environment, the farmers and their farms (soil). After collecting a lot of data on students were not

able to organise the data and collaborate with each other to deﬁne a speciﬁc problem under

stubble burning. Thus I used the mind mapping tool in the class with the help of some interactive

online boards which made it a little more interesting for students to put forth their data in the form

of the mind map. After putting forth their data in the mind map students were able to analyse

patterns in their data. The pattern that they came across was how stubble burning over the years

has caused problems to the environment by releasing harmful gases which not only have an effect

on the climate but were also affecting the children of the farmers with the respiratory diseases. In

the mind map they came across a pattern that most of the farmers and their families had a history

of respiratory diseases speciﬁcally affecting children and pregnant mothers which lead to children

born with disease like asthma.

Understanding the patterns in the mind map also gave students a better way for idea generation.

Students were able to effectively generate an idea that could decrease stubble burning, which will

lead to decrease amount of harmful gases in the environment which in turn will decrease the

number of respiratory illness the families of the farmers suffered.

Insight:

The insight I gained after using mind mapping tool to solve this problem are as follows:

• Using the tool helps students understand that their in a much more deeper way than they

would if the tool was not used

• Students were able to analyse the data with more criticality and use the data in the most

effective way possible for better idea generation

• The tool is simple to use and organises the way design thinking could work with large amount

of data that comes with the project

• The tool encourages students as it can be made more aesthetically beautiful to give it more

creative aspect

• Mind mapping can also be used as a great source of secondary data to also be used further for

better idea generation

• It helps students to be engaged throughout the process, add information as they found more

• It is also a reliable tool to always come back to and refer to, if at all the idea taken forward was

not effective

As an educator facing the problem of not having students understand or analyse the data in a

proper way for better idea generation I think mind mapping was the best way I could use for

students which was easier, creative and also had enormous data that could be analysed for

patterns that could deﬁne the problem of stubble burning and their effects on the families of the

farmers and the environment very effectively and also helps students to form better ideas to solve

the problem at the local level.

Approach:

As I was successfully able to use my map in one of the project in my class I would be modifying the

use of the tool in various other ways in my class. For example I can make sure that the mind map

is more colourful and creative. This will help students stay engaged and will be interested to add

information to the mind map. I can also use the mind map in different stages of design thinking for

example primary research or secondary research. Mind maps can also be used as a better form of

persuasive communication not only for students but people trying to understand the project as well.

I will be using the tool for normal classes to understand students insight, understanding of  a topic

which will help me understand patterns in student engagement, understanding and application of

the topic. Visualisation and mind mapping can go hand-in-hand as with better data and patterns

that are analysed through mind map students will be able to visualise the problem with a personal

connect to it which will lead them to better idea generation.


Reﬂection - Mind Mapping Challenge : I am an educator and I encourage my students to work on diﬀerent projects that are real world problems which help them learn better and use information to deﬁne a problem and generate ideas to solve the problem . I often face the problem with students not able to collate information in a way that can help them ﬁnd problems/ patterns in the provided or gained data or even organise the information in a better way . As students are required to gain a lot of data for a particular overarching issue it becomes confusing to understand which area to focus on to deﬁne a problem and generate an idea . The data does not allow the students to focus on diﬀerent issues , it also does not help them collate ideas from peers thus missing out on patterns in their data that might help them to deﬁne a particular problem and generate ideas . Students are thus focusing only on the already existing solutions as the lack of understanding patterns in data does not allow them to generate better ideas . Selection : The tool I selected was mind mapping as it really helps students understand patters in their already gained data . Mind mapping is an effective design thinking tool for people ( students in this case ) to organise their thinking , put forth data in an effective way , look for patters or themes or repetition in their data . This in turn helps better understanding , deﬁning the problem that can be understood from the already gained data and also analyse the data in a way to generate insights or ideas about the problem and for the problem respectively . Mind Mapping has helped students organise their data in a better way , understand patterns in their data and also collaborate with their peers in an effective way leading them to better idea generation . With Mind mapping students were able to understand the genuine problem , deﬁne the problem ( what is stage ) and generate better ideas ( what if stage ) . Application : I used mind mapping in one of my class where students were supposed to solve problems related to stubble burning that happens in the farms and how it affects the farmers and their ﬁeld in the long run and the environment as well . Students collected data about what is stubble burning , how often do people follow it in the near by area , the hazards of stubble burning , effect on the environment , the farmers and their farms ( soil ) . After collecting a lot of data on students were not able to organise the data and collaborate with each other to deﬁne a speciﬁc problem under stubble burning . Thus I used the mind mapping tool in the class with the help of some interactive online boards which made it a little more interesting for students to put forth their data in the form of the mind map . After putting forth their data in the mind map students were able to analyse patterns in their data . The pattern that they came across was how stubble burning over the years has caused problems to the environment by releasing harmful gases which not only have an effect on the climate but were also affecting the children of the farmers with the respiratory diseases . In the mind map they came across a pattern that most of the farmers and their families had a history of respiratory diseases speciﬁcally affecting children and pregnant mothers which lead to children born with disease like asthma . Understanding the patterns in the mind map also gave students a better way for idea generation . Students were able to effectively generate an idea that could decrease stubble burning , which will lead to decrease amount of harmful gases in the environment which in turn will decrease the number of respiratory illness the families of the farmers suffered . Insight : The insight I gained after using mind mapping tool to solve this problem are as follows : • Using the tool helps students understand that their in a much more deeper way than they would if the tool was not used • Students were able to analyse the data with more criticality and use the data in the most effective way possible for better idea generation • The tool is simple to use and organises the way design thinking could work with large amount of data that comes with the project • The tool encourages students as it can be made more aesthetically beautiful to give it more creative aspect • Mind mapping can also be used as a great source of secondary data to also be used further for better idea generation • It helps students to be engaged throughout the process , add information as they found more • It is also a reliable tool to always come back to and refer to , if at all the idea taken forward was not effective As an educator facing the problem of not having students understand or analyse the data in a proper way for better idea generation I think mind mapping was the best way I could use for students which was easier , creative and also had enormous data that could be analysed for patterns that could deﬁne the problem of stubble burning and their effects on the families of the farmers and the environment very effectively and also helps students to form better ideas to solve the problem at the local level . Approach : As I was successfully able to use my map in one of the project in my class I would be modifying the use of the tool in various other ways in my class . For example I can make sure that the mind map is more colourful and creative . This will help students stay engaged and will be interested to add information to the mind map . I can also use the mind map in different stages of design thinking for example primary research or secondary research . Mind maps can also be used as a better form of persuasive communication not only for students but people trying to understand the project as well . I will be using the tool for normal classes to understand students insight , understanding of a topic which will help me understand patterns in student engagement , understanding and application of the topic . Visualisation and mind mapping can go hand - in - hand as with better data and patterns that are analysed through mind map students will be able to visualise the problem with a personal connect to it which will lead them to better idea generation .