Mind Maps: Pixels or Paper? The Great Debate Unfolds!

 

Photo Credit: Raphaela Brandner (meisertask.com)

Ever since the advent of BYOD and eventually district provided WMD's (Wireless Mobile Devices) the debate and research about paper based versus digital based instructional has been a hot topic. Lets take a look at the debate from a context of mind mapping. 

Mind Maps 

What has not been a debate is the effectiveness of Mind Maps. In Paul Farrand's 2002 study on mind maps (click here for article) he found that mind maps have some of the highest efficacy rates of all of the instructional strategies for learners who have emerged into formal operational development. Farrand did note however that, "before mind maps are generally adopted as a study technique, consideration has to be given towards ways of improving motivation among users." With the advent of digital social media (knowledge sharing) and the robust ways in which to motivate learners in the digital age (Click here for Blog about digital badges), what is exactly is the debate for paper based assignments?

The debate: Pixels or Paper

The research data is not as clear cut as one might think in the debate of digital assignments vs paper based. Giuseppe Marano et. al. studied the the neuroscience behind handwriting vs typing assignments.  In the article (click for article)  the researchers found that, "Handwriting involves the complex coordination of fine motor skills... the act of writing stimulates the brain to connect motor activates with cognitive process.  Conversely, Typing relies on finger movements over a keyboard (and) does not demand sensory-motor integration."

However, as Farrand noted, motivation to do paper based mind mapping is low.  For a learner to map out concepts requires a high level of organizing and structuring knowledge as well as high levels of critical thinking and problem solving skills is a daunting task. 

Conclusion

The research for the benefits of Mind Maps for learners is clear: it works.  The neuroscience on handwritten vs digital interactions is also very clear but motivation to do such things is also clearly low.  if you are on a short timeline and need to use a handwritten Mind Map, then by all means, use it.  However, if you have the time to do BOTH handwritten brainstorming and digital, consider the advantages of the digital Mind Maps integrated after the handwritten "rough drafts" have been made.

Advantages of Digital Mind Maps:

• Flexibility and Editability: Digital tools allow for easy editing, rearrangement, expansion, and collapsing of information, which is more challenging with paper. This can save time and effort, especially for students who want to refine their maps.
• Collaboration: Many digital mind mapping tools facilitate collaborative work, which can be beneficial for group projects in the classroom.
• Rich Media Integration: Digital mind maps can easily incorporate images, links, and other multimedia elements, potentially making them more engaging and comprehensive.
• Accessibility: Cloud-based digital mind maps can be accessed from various devices and locations.
• Pre-made Templates: Digital tools often offer templates, which can be helpful for students who struggle with the initial setup or prefer a structured approach

The Social Media Expert Illusion: How to Spot the Real Deal

 photo credit: U.S. Air Force illustration by Airman 1st Class Devin N. Boye (Flickr)

You have just come across the best lesson plan or eLearning module ever, but how can you tell if the author is legit?  I mean, it could just be some ones dog barking at the screen, with the advent of pseudo names on social media, anyone can have an online alter ego. 

The Challenge of Authenticity

George Shaw in his 2022 article published in the Health Care section of MDPI (Click here for article) took a look at tweets pertaining to diet, diabetes, exercise and obesity(DDEO).  He found that in an average year there were 1.7 million tweets that referred to DDEO.  17% of which did not have any correct or even factual information listed in the tweet, and only 29% of the remaining had any factual information associated with the tweet. 

Guide Posts to determine Authenticity

With the sheer volume of information on the internet and social media such as Reddit allowing for pseudo names for its users, how to we in the modern era determine who is real and who are trolls? 

here are a few things to look for when evaluating the authenticity of a social media presence;

1. Content Analysis: Does the content have relevance and depth.  is the content original? Is the content accurate in your estimation and is there evidence presented in the form of peer reviewed journals?  Is the content consistent? Is the social media presence using the proper tone and terminology for their field?  

2. Engagement and Community Interaction: Is the engagement thoughtful and builds community.  Does the influencer have a high status ranking (caution rank can be bought) Do others in the community validate the presences point of view.

3 Profile and Background Information: Does their profile convey their expertise? Are there external links to additional work they have done? How old is the account and are they active a lot in the community? 

4.Networking Analysis: Who do they follow and who is following them back?  Are they mentioned a lot?  Are they represented in a lot of tags? 

This is in no way an exhaustive list of things to look for when verifying a social media presence but merely some things to consider the next time you think maybe the person on the other side of the social media screen might be a dog barking at a computer. 

Level Up Your Summer: Discover New Tools for Teachers & ISD Pros!

 

Photo Credit: Bennet K Kireker (Flickr)

So, you are on summer break or you are in between projects and you have a little time to kill and a nice bottle of wine to enjoy.  Let's pour a glass together and explore some of the lesser known social media sites and how these sites can be used in your professional life.

Flickr: Beyond Just Photos

Most social media savvy teachers and ISD professionals know FLICKR as merely a photo-sharing site.  But it has become so much more since it inception in 2004. 

• Visual resources: Do you have a couple of projects or slide decks that are in need of some visual gestalt?  Flickr has resources galore!  Many of the media pictures come with Creative Commons licenses that allow for free use
• Collaborative Storytelling: Create your own albums as you sift through the mountains of pictures available to you in the Flickr files. 

Cluster: your Private Group Sharing Space

Its summer break, you are on vacation and you have tons of picture to share with friends and family.  But, you don't want to post to a public social media account,  What do you do? 

• Secure Collaboration: This app specializes in creating secure and private groups in order to share pictures, videos, and messages
• Event Specific Sharing:  This app allows for event specific sharing with identified collaborators!  

MERLOT: The Educators Treasure Trove

You may need another bottle of wine for this one, you are going to be here a while! This site by far has the most vast collection of learning materials and professional development. You can find:

• Curated Learning Materials that can be filtered by grade level. Everything from flash card makers to interactive historical simulations to authoring apps.  
• Professional Development:  Want to learn a new skill but don't want or have the time to go back to college? MERLOT has micro trainings just for you. 

The Badge Effect: Sparking Grassroots Learning for Real Change

 Photo Credit: www.priorlearning.ie

So, you have a workplace that needs a change management plan.  You don't want the run of the mill, "Change because I said so" approach.  You have lots of time and you would really enjoy the employees and teams interacting to see what transpires. What are your options?

"Bottom Up" Change Management

Bottom up change management plans are exactly what they sound like.  The focus is on employee involvement, grassroots participation and empowering individuals at all levels to contribute to the change.

In a recent blog post by Adam C. on his blog Adams Home Stretch titled "My Hot Take on Optional Challenges is Cooling Off" he contemplates how to "sell" a client on creating optional challenges in a corporate Top Down change module and how hard it would be to justify the ROI. 

This blog entry will look at the other side of Adam C's article; how to take one of the more popular Bottom-Up change models and incorporate optional challenges for employees based on a badging system in order to grow the employees knowledge base before the bottom up change meetings take place.

Knowledge is Power. Badges are Lightning in a Bottle

Whether it be Hiatt's ADKAR model, Gilbert's 6 box, Lewin's Force Field, or Kaizen's CMM, they all start with the employee being educated and aware of the potential issues within the system. 

So, how does an employer motivate their team to WANT to learn?  Dr. Jeni Cross in her Tedx Talk suggests that the most powerful motivator for employees is: Social Norms.  Badges are a perfect way in which to tangible represent a change in or drive of social norms.  When we integrate one of the most popular eLearning platforms like Linkedin and provide a framework of optional challenges from Theresa Hortsman's research (click here for article) we get a 3 pathway drive to employee learning that can be extrinsically incentivized by the employer. 

Pathway Sample:

Pathway 1: The Knowledge Explorer

• Entry Level Badge- Curiosity Catalyst
• Mid- Level Badge- Interdisciplinary Investigator
• Capstone Badge- Learning Landscape Architect

Pathway 2: The Collaborative Contributor

• Entry level Badge- Discussion Dynamo
• Mid Level Badge- Knowledge Sharer
• Capstone Badge- Community Catalyst

Pathway 3- The Applied Professional 

• Entry Level Badge - Skill Sharpening Specialist 
• Mid Level Badge- Problem-Solving Pro
• Capstone Badge- Impact Innovator

#HPT #ADKAR #Gilbert6box #Change_Model #badges #gamifiedbadges #Bottom_up_change_management #HPTISPI 

Got Badges?: Your Students' Next Obsession (And Learning Tool)

 Photo Credit: Octalysisgroup.com 

At some point we have all been there in our elementary experience.  We got the gold star on a homework assignment, we got a "smell good" sticker on an assignment that we tried extra hard on.  Badges and stickers for a job well done are not a new concept. Benny Bornfield in his peer reviewed article in FirstMonday , (click here for article) acknowledges that even going back to the times of Napoleon, people have been driven by the honor of receiving badges or ribbons for heroic deeds.  

Why are badges so effective? 

I ran across a TedX talk by Jeni Cross (Click here for link) In which she speaks about the big three myths of behavior change.  She identifies that people really have no idea what motivates them.  The data and the science is clear.  So, What does motivate people?  According to Jeni, Social Norms are the best motivators of humans!  Badges play very nicely into social norms!  As students watch the name boards fill up with gold stars, the social norms kick in. 

How do I bring badges into the classroom? 

Unlike literally everything else we have to teach students as they enter our classroom, badges are already ingrained into their lives.  Apps and social media have been using badges for years to obtain and retain users through social norms and an ecosystem that values the badges.

Theresa Hortsman,  in her 2020 article listed in Emerald Insight (click here for article) examines 8 hallmarks of a successful Badging design:

• 1. Badges should be nested together to create clear learning pathways for learners (Barron, 2006; Hickey et al., 2014). 

  S2. Badges should give learners opportunities to build connections between badge criteria based on the proximity of badges to each other (Barron, 2006; Lakoff, 2008). 

  S3. The badge system as a whole should serve as a framework for creating a complex (re)combination of program activities that align with: 

  (1) program goals for community building; and 

  (2) engagement with disciplinary knowledge and practice, indicating significant milestones for learners. 

  Badge criteria: 

  C1. Badge criteria should contain the attributes of Gameful Design (Deterding, 2011). 

  C2. Badge criteria should serve as metacognitive cues, prompting learners to reflect upon their own learning and see possible future identities (National Research Council, 2000). 

  C3. Badge criteria should incorporate activities and tasks that are intrinsically motivating (Hecker, 2010; Blair, 2011). 

  C4. Community, program and learning values are represented in how the criteria are composed (Deterding, 2011). 

  C5. Blends disciplinary-specific content knowledge with non-disciplinary-specific

• Can an Ai do this for me?

  • As teachers, we really do not give artificial intelligence enough credit for the creativity it can display.  Here was my original prompt: 

  • 
    

  • I need design badge names for my high school biology classroom.  Please use the following criteria (Theresa Hortsman's article) to create fun and engaging badges

  • 
    

  The Ai proceeded to ask me a series of questions about which Biology standards I was interested in and which state the standards came from.   Not only did the Ai organize the badges by standard with catchy badge names but it also designed pathways based on Hortsmans criteria in which the student could navigate each topic for "higher" badge rankings!  

Heredity and Reproduction (Genetics, DNA, RNA, Cell Cycle) (SC.912.L.16.x)

• Focus: DNA, protein synthesis, genetics, meiosis, mitosis.
  • The "Genetic Genius" Badge: For mastery of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics.
  • The "DNA Decoder" Badge: For understanding DNA structure, replication, transcription, and translation.
  • The "Mitosis Mastermind" Badge: For demonstrating understanding of the cell cycle and asexual reproduction.
  • The "Meiosis Maven" Badge: For grasping the complexities of sexual reproduction and genetic variation.
  • The "Heredity Investigator" Badge: For analyzing genetic crosses and inheritance patterns.

Pathway 2: The Biological Systems Engineer (Cells, Heredity, and Organisms)

This pathway delves into the fundamental building blocks and processes of life, encouraging students to see the intricate engineering within living systems. Proximity here means connecting micro-level understanding to macro-level function. Community can be fostered through collaborative model building or genetic problem-solving.

• Entry-Level Badge: "Cellular Champion"

  • Criteria C1 (Gameful Design): Awarded for identifying and describing the function of all major organelles in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (Challenge, clear goal)
  • Criteria C2 (Metacognitive Cue): "I now understand the basic units of life. This knowledge is fundamental to understanding all living things!"
  • Criteria C3 (Intrinsic Motivation): Visualizing and understanding the "machines" within cells can be inherently fascinating.
  • Criteria C4 (Values): Emphasizes foundational knowledge and precision.
  • Criteria C5 (Blend): Cell Biology (disciplinary) + Attention to Detail/Categorization (non-disciplinary).

• Mid-Level Badge: "Macromolecule Maestro" (Builds on "Cellular Champion")

  • Criteria C1 (Gameful Design): Awarded for correctly identifying the four major types of macromolecules, their monomers, and their primary functions within cells. (Collection, pattern recognition)
  • Criteria C2 (Metacognitive Cue): "I've learned the chemical building blocks that make cells work. I'm connecting chemistry to biology!"
  • Criteria C3 (Intrinsic Motivation): Seeing the molecular basis for life provides a deeper level of understanding.
  • Criteria C4 (Values): Promotes analytical thinking about molecular structure and function.
  • Criteria C5 (Blend): Biochemistry (disciplinary) + Pattern Recognition (non-disciplinary).

• Advanced Badge: "DNA Decoder" (Builds on "Macromolecule Maestro" and "Cellular Champion")

  • Criteria C1 (Gameful Design): Awarded for accurately modeling DNA replication, transcription, and translation, explaining the central dogma of biology. (Complex problem-solving, construction)
  • Criteria C2 (Metacognitive Cue): "I've cracked the code of life! I can now explain how genetic information is stored and expressed, which is key to understanding heredity."
  • Criteria C3 (Intrinsic Motivation): The satisfaction of assembling a complex process and understanding how information flows.
  • Criteria C4 (Values): Fosters logical sequencing and comprehension of complex biological processes.
  • Criteria C5 (Blend): Molecular Genetics (disciplinary) + Systems Thinking/Modeling (non-disciplinary).

• Capstone Badge: "Genetic Genius" (Builds on "DNA Decoder")

  • Criteria C1 (Gameful Design): Awarded for successfully solving a complex genetic cross problem (e.g., dihybrid, incomplete dominance, sex-linkage) and interpreting the results. (Puzzle-solving, challenge)
  • Criteria C2 (Metacognitive Cue): "I can now predict inheritance patterns and understand genetic variation. My understanding of heredity is strong!"
  • Criteria C3 (Intrinsic Motivation): The satisfaction of correctly solving a challenging problem and applying abstract principles to real-world scenarios.
  • Criteria C4 (Values): Encourages precision, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving.
  • Criteria C5 (Blend): Mendelian & Non-Mendelian Genetics (disciplinary) + Logical Deduction/Problem-Solving (non-disciplinary).

Beyond the Hashtag: Unpacking the Pros and Cons of Tagging in Education

 Photo credit: ScienceEngineJournal.com #SEJ

You have just written a great blog about the secret life of cats and now you want other interested readers to be able to search for your blog based on its content.  But how doe you accomplish this?  What are these pound sign things (analog telephone days) that other content creators are putting with in their articles?

A quick research glance at your favorite search engine reveals these "pound signs" as hashtags:

"A social media hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the pound symbol (#) that is used within a post on social media platforms. Its primary purpose is to categorize content by topic or keyword and make it easily discoverable by other users."

Reasons to Use Hashtags

Ronnie Gomez's article at SproutSocial.com (click here for article) titled "3 Use Cases for Tagging" brings up a great set of points to consider as you are contemplating tags in your blog.

For the beginner blogger lets consider the reason you are using tags in the first place.  Are you trying to create labels for other to search? Or are you creating a unique campaign for your ideas? 

• Labels which can be applied to posts, messages or assets that exist independently of a campaign. For example, you could use a Label to categorize and report on messages containing customer feedback. #labels #feedback #tagging
• Campaigns, which group posts, incoming messages and assets that align to an overarching campaign, like a promotion or an event. You can also apply Labels to messages with a Campaign tag for more reporting options. #CTRL_ALT_Learn

Label Nomenclature

We will focus on "labels" for the rest of this article as it is most likely the item you are going to use the most in your blogging career.  

What words or hashtags do you use?

Vanessa Dennen, in her 2018 article published in OnlineLearning (click here for article) explores options for bloggers with how they can #tag their content.  Should a blogger use tags that are dictionary based or should  bloggers be able to freestyle their tags?  

Lets consider the overall gains from hashtags: 

1. Makes content discoverable #BeyondTheHashtag
2. Allows for mentions @adamshomestretch
3. Makes Geotags possible (photos only)
4. Focused community interactions #eme6414 
5. Directly tagging individuals @VenessaDennen
6. Digital signposts #tagging
7. Ease of archiving  #summer2025
8. Consistent use strengthens relationships #CTRL_ALT_Learn
9. Tracking of hashtag performance
10. Credit to content creators and collaborators @ronniegthinks

Dennen found that "The dictionary-only approach led to fewer tags overall as well as fewer single-use tags than freestyle tagging. It also resulted in students applying useful classes of tags, such as type of content, that did not emerge within the freestyle tag groups’ folksonomies" Dennen 2018

What are your thoughts as a blogger?  Should we use dictionary only vs freestyle?  Comment below

#Higher_Education  #Information_literacy #Social_bookmarking #Instructional_design #FSU #Social_Butterfly

Get Found: SEO Secrets for Your Pedagogical Blog

 Phot Credit: Earlytorise.com

You have just finished the best blog of your early blogging career!  But no one read it!  No one even knows it exists!  Such a frustrating place to be!

Venessa Dennen in her 2014 article published in Computers in Human Behavior (click here for article)

suggest a very inclusive list of norms that bloggers should be aware of when actively engaging in the blogosphere:

• Reciprocity
• Self Disclosure
• Respect for perspectives
• Respect for Privacy 
• Avoid Hijacking comments

But how do I as a emerging blog creator, get noticed in the "World"? 

Welcome to the world of SEO! 

A quick Google definition search of SEO reveals: 

"SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of improving a website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google. The goal is to attract more organic (unpaid) traffic to a website by optimizing content, structure, and overall website performance to be more appealing to both search engines and users"

Thanks Google, but what does that all mean for a beginner like me? 

Rachel Summers, an editor with Earlytorise.com, has 10 suggestions for new bloggers to keep in mind (Click here for article) 

1, Know you audience

2. Be consistent with updates

3. Build relationships with other sites

4. Write quality content

5. Look at what others are doing

6. Write an excellent headline

7. Pick the right words

8. Decide on your length 

9. Write "Evergreen" content 

10. Don's forget the small details

As a former businessowner, I would also suggest a "Call to Action" for your readers.

Leave a comment below about who you think, Dennen or Summers, has the best suggestions for beginner bloggers.