[Year 12 IPM] Visio and concept mapping

[Laurie Savage]

I've noticed that people have been looking at Visio to create mind 
maps/concept maps. I'm concerned that teachers (and Microsoft) are 
confusing the end product of mind mapping with the process. While Visio 
is an effective diagramming tool I'm not sure it was designed with 
brainstorming in mind. Its mind map template seems like an afterthought 
and does not follow sound mind mapping principles (free flow, 
brainstorming). Tools such as Inspiration, Freemind and CMap Tools are 
built around the process of brainstorming to create maps (especially 
Inspiration and Freemind) and facilitate the production of, for example, 
essay outlines and web site creation quite transparently. CMap Tools is 
a little different and focuses on concept development and syntactical 
structures in the production of a map, but will still export its 
structure to an outline or web.

As far as I can see, Visio focuses on putting boxes or other shapes on 
paper and connecting them and is an excellent tool to polish up a 
network diagram, organisation chart or a freehand mind map. The 
differing emphasis is subtle but significant. Mind mapping software is 
focused on the topology of ideas and concepts and attempts to organise a 
flow of thought.

Laurie
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Laurie Savage
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Student Assessment, Reporting and Tracking
Pascoe Vale Girls College, Pascoe Vale, Vic, AU
+613 9306 2544
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