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 Activities Reflection: Collaborate using mindmaps

Reflection: Collaborate using mindmaps

Brief description

Collaborating with mind maps is a collaborative activity for students, where they work together, reflect, and generate new shared knowledge. By creating a mindmap collectively, students actively engage with the topic and build a resource together that can be used later as notes or for exam preparation.

Motivation for the activity and required outcome

Connections, similarities, and differences become clear and tangible when topics and words are linked. This helps students identify new potential perspectives that may inspire them in relation to the subject or an assignment. The goal of the activity is for students to independently reflect and collaborate in a cooperative manner.

Performing the activity

  • As a teacher, you should select a digital mind-mapping tool such as TaskCards. The tool enables a smoother collaborative process compared to working on a whiteboard or paper.

  • Before the activity, make a presentation focusing on a topic which is relevant for the entire class. Present this topic to the class.

  • Then choose (or get the class to choose) a number of themes so that each group gets their own theme to work on. If you want the activity to move in a certain direction, it may be useful for you to choose the themes beforehand.

  • Divide the students into groups. Each group logs onto the application as one group.
  • The groups now build a resource in the shared mindmap in the form of texts, videos, pictures etc.
  • You need to be present, to walk round the room and answer questions, and to inspire the students.
  • You can stop the students’ work every 30-60 minutes and spend three minutes on a class discussion in which each group explains how much progress they have made. The other groups can provide input and inspiration for further work.
  • Finally, the groups present their parts of the mindmap to the rest of the class. 

 

Variation

  • The activity can also be used as a structured study task that students complete outside of class.
  • If students have used TaskCards, it can also serve as a presentation tool for student presentations.
  • If the activity needs to be guided in a specific direction, it may be beneficial for you as the instructor to pre-select the themes rather than allowing students to choose them themselves.

You will need:

  • Choose a digital tool and get acquainted with it. For example, it could be TaskCards, which you have free access to as an AU employee.
  • On AU Educate, you can find guides on how to get started with TaskCards, as well as other suggestions for teaching activities.

Værd at overveje:

  • Skal de studerende have nogle ressourcer (tekster, videoer eller andet relevant materiale), de skal bruge som forberedelse forud for aktiviteten?

  • Hvor længe skal aktiviteten vare?
Revised 17.03.2025
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