Is there no such thing as an excited accounting teacher? No, it's not, as this week I am that excited accounting teacher, why you ask? I have now found another ICT tool that I can use within my accounting classes. Bubbl.us (no this is not me in the picture...it's actually my sister and yes she is an accountant - that makes one accountant and one accounting teacher who get excited.)Bubbl.us is a tool that enables you to create a mind map or concept map. The main topic is entered as the first bubble, sub concepts are then linked to the main bubble. Each layer of the mind map is then given a colour according hierarchy. This mind map took me 5 minutes to make. All the important features are right at your finger tips. This is one huge advantage of this tool - its just so SIMPLE and NO FUSS.
This is an online application and is flash based, as the teacher you need to consider if you have the latest version of flash installed. With any ICT tool that is based online it is important to consider the safe, legal and ethical protocols of the school when working online. Whilst online work can be an issue for some teachers, however, if you know your students, working online should not be an issue. If you trust them to not disrespect you or the rules. Although, don't ever become complacent when working online, it may only takes one instance for you to be fired for inappropriate use even if by a student.
While this tool might be simple to use, appear very basic and be considered boring to some, you need to look past this sometimes and see what learning benefits are able to be applied to the classroom activity. Bubbl.us is an excellent tool for visual and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners will benefit from linking ideas and concepts with pictures/images and kinesthetic learners will benefit by physically drawing their ideas out.
This ICT tool if utilized in the classroom would be great way to engage students in group discussion.. Generally students will take more risks when answering with a few words rather than requiring to construct a coherent sentence verbally.
"Because mind mapping is more flexible than outlining, it encourages creativity. Displaying all related topics on the same mind map, with emphasis and connections indicated by images, symbols, and colors, improves memory retention. The maps are also easier to understand, which saves time and increases productivity. Diane Murley “Mind Mapping Complex Information”
I remember when I was an accounting student, we did a lot of brainstorming activities and we used to use butchers paper taped to the backboard to visually map out the concepts of accounting - which is very hard to visualise in your mind. This had great benefits - you were able to see the overall picture in how concepts are related and it got you up out of your chair and moving around. But most of all you it was an excellent revision tool which you could quickly glance for a refresher.
If you want to save your work you will need to create an account - I see three down sides to this. Firstly, it is another user name and password you have to remember. Secondly, its an online program - you would be required to print it out, enlarge it to have it displayed visually in the classroom for future reference. Thirdly, when adding bubbles the program can be a bit 'touchy' and you end up creating sub bubbles when you don't really want them.
Within this weeks group 4 tools there no other options that appealed to me that I could use to present my PMI and SAMR Model. I have therefore utilised an ICT tool from week 6 learning materials - QR codes.
Just quickly a comment on mobile devices in a classroom. Yes, I do believe they have a place in the classroom. BUT... only when used appropriately, monitored correctly and are used to create learning gains for the student.
Wow, what a journey I have been on over the last 6 weeks. From the beginning of this course I would have clearly said that ICT's were all gimmicky and had no substance especially within the accounting and legal studies classroom. I can now confidently say this is not the case, and I am now no longer afraid of the word TECHNOLOGY.
Be sure to visit my blog next week for the final wrap-up on ICT's within learning environment.
JRay.
REFERENCES:
All Images: Google Source
Murley, D. Mind Mapping Complex Information, (2013) Retrieved from: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=958633
LOL - your opening reminded me of that old joke - what do accountants use for contraception?
ReplyDelete... their personality.
I loved your QRs - it would be easier if they were separated a bit more on the page - I accidentally focused on the first one again when I was trying to open the second one.
Excellent post, can't wait to read your final wrap up :)