Project Three: Collaborative Mindmapping

Mindmeister is a really cool program. I learned that it is a digital way to create a bubble chart. It also creates connections between ideas and allows the maker to create links to websites for additional information. Links can also be created to pictures and videos as well.

As a teacher, I would use this piece of technology to introduce topics at the start of a unit. I would request that my students use the maps to prepare for class and to gain a basic understanding of the upcoming unit. As seen with the map I created, this would give students a basic idea of who and what was involved in World War II. In addition, extra links would provide students with information they may not be acquainted with already on some level.

I would use this technology for certain topics, but I feel like overuse could lead to boredom among the students. It would be beneficial to students because it would allow them to gain a basic understanding of different topics which would lead to greater overall learning.

Project Three: YouTube Downloads

This video was downloaded from YouTube using the "Easy YouTube Downloader" add-on by Mozilla Firefox. The method was simple and easy to use.

There are copyright laws that are associated with embedding and downloading YouTube videos. Like all other materials, it is necessary to first obtain permission from the producer of the video before embedding or even downloading the video. It is then necessary to give credit to the creator of the film. (In this case, the video was created by me so no copyrights laws are violated.)

The best videos to use in a classroom setting are those that students can relate with. For example, when teaching about wars or other hardships, it would be good to include a video of war footage or war photography. Doing so would allow students to put themselves in the shoes of the soldiers. It also puts a face to those in history. It brings history to life.