What is COOGLE?
The word coogle was very new to me. I thought maybe it is something to do with google. Coggle is a free mind-mapping/brainstorming tool that uses a Google login to setup. Students can create very intricate diagrams and charts with ease, and they can invite other students to collaborate on their mind maps with them in real-time.
Coogle is an easy to use mind mapping site, with a very intuitive interface. You can choose different colors for each strand of your mind map, the text size can be altered, links can be added and videos embed when you add a video link, you can also add images.
Finished maps can be downloaded as PDF or PNG or shared via a link on social media.
I particularly like that you can work collaboratively on your mind maps by adding additional authors, comments can also be added, could also be a useful tool in organizing ideas related to project based learning.
Educational benefits:
There are many ways to use Coggle in a school setting. Concept mapping is a great way to collect and showcase ideas in the classroom. It increases participation and collaboration in a classroom and shows how things are related or connected. It also solidifies concepts already known and builds upon knowledge. One of the best things about concept mapping is it is based on a central idea and no branches have more significance than any other.
Students can work on their own or in pairs to develop a mind map. Once the students have a coggle account it can be used in as many subjects as they wish. Teachers can view the mind maps to observe whether teaching needs to be adapted. Students could present their mind maps to the rest of the class. A variety of devices can be used e.g. tablet, smart phone etc. Peer assessment can be used where students could give each other feedback on areas they may have left out or need to be improved in their mind maps.
Common Uses:
- Curriculum mapping
- Class idea sharing
- Project ideas
- Collaboration of ideas
- Sharing of ideas with others
- Graphically shows connections
I have started using coogle with my own children. This strategy has given them a structure to summarize and represent visually what they have learned. It has improved their long-term memory of factual information.
You can follow this simple video to understand what coogle is all about.
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