Blog #9: Graphic Organizer/Thinking Map

 


When completing the graphic organizer/thinking map I noticed that it forced me to pull out the key points. Often when note-taking, I tend to take too many and can lose the main points. With this organizer, I was able to find the main points and then show how all the subtopics connect and relate back to the main ones. I noticed that I was beginning to understand the information in a deeper way through the connections I could see visually. I didn't think that I would notice a big difference with this method of note-taking so I'm pleasantly surprised. I think I will be using this note-taking method in the future. Seeing how this helped me, I can see the importance with students in the way it allows them to see the connections between points and also note which points are grouped together. Although I'm somewhat of a visual learner, I can see how this could help any kind of learner. In the moment, students may be able to make connections, but when they go back to the material later they may end up spending time trying to find the connections again. By creating a visual they have something concrete to return and can even add on to it to show an expansion of learning and/or understanding.  

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