WORKSHOP 213 on May 18 – David Punia (david.punia@ahs.state.vt.us)
Notes taken by Judith Christensen
VISUAL LEARNING AND UDL
Much of this workshop will be learning to use Inspiration 9.0
Davis Punia is in the Vermont Assisted Technologies Program (VATP) in the Department of Aging and Independent Living. He was trained as an electrical engineer and got into this area of work when a student developed a talking compass for his grandfather who was losing his hearing. VATP offers free consulting and loaner equipment among other things.
VISUAL LEARNING:
Mind Mapping or Concept Mapping: early roots in Greek philosophy. Usually visual. Lines connect ideas to a concept or keyword. A good example is Walt Disney’s original concept map. Go to www.mind-mapping.org for more information and connections to various types and examples of mind maps.
Graphical Organizers: In a literature review conducted by the Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education, the benefits of graphic organizers were demonstrated in terms of cognitive and learning theories, thinking and learning, retention improvement and curriculum clarification and improvement. Benefits were found in student achievement, critical thinking, long-term memory using patterns and relationships, outlining, guiding review and study and retention.
TOOLS: There are Open Source (free) and Commercial Products:
Open Source:
- freemind: Java-based for Windows or Mac
- xmind
- bubbl.us
Commercial:
- Webspiration – can use Inspiration files (see mywebspiration.com)
- Inspiration: demonstrated in workshop
- mindjet