Description
Doing this activity online enables students to add images, videos and links to websites. All students in any size group can add ideas or remove ideas simultaneously and it can be kept for future iterations. This can work better than physical sticky notes which can get lost or lose their stickiness or relevance!
Instructions:
- Open a brainstorming or mindmapping tool – see list below.
- For brainstorming, come up with as many ideas as possible. The goal is to build on each other’s ideas and encourage creative thinking. Avoid criticising ideas and encourage wild ideas.
- For mindmapping, start with a central idea in the centre of the map. Main branches radiate from the central idea, representing key themes or categories. Sub-branches extend from main branches, detailing specific ideas or subtopics.
Differentiation:
Students can work in mixed ability groups.
Technology used:
Brainstorming tools: Miro, Canva for Education,
Mindmapping tools: Canva for Education, Popplet (online one mindmap per student is free), FigJam
Formative Assessment:
Peer assessment, self-assessment, asking questions such as:
What comes to mind when you think about [the topic]?
Can you share any initial thoughts or associations you have with [the concept]?
Can you think of any unconventional solutions or ideas?
If money were no object, what would you do?
What are the key elements or aspects related to this central theme?
How do these subtopics relate to and support the main branches?
Summative Assessment:
Completed brainstorm or mindmap.