Bubbl.us PMI

I have worked with Bubbl.us a few times throughout my time at uni and think it is a great tool that could be used in the classroom. It is a great brainstorming tool that engages students instead of using pen and paper. Sure, for some students using pen and paper works for them. However, for those other students this is a great divice I can use as a future teacher. More importantly, teach my students to use for assignments, collaborating ideas as a group, etc.

Examples of how Bubbl.us could be used in the classroom-

• interactive whiteboard for brainstorming
• collaborative assignments/ tasks
• group work
• comparision between two topics
• cause and effect

There are both positives and negatives of Bubbl.us, and below is a PMI to explain further.
Plus-

• can be used instead of pen and paper
• can be used as a collaboration tool
• online brainstorming and concept mapping tool
• Build up a mindmap very quickly - easy and simple to use
• Embed your mindmap into online spaces
• Work collaboratively on the same mindmap
• easily add and remove ideas
• free to use
• simple layout
• add colours to textbox

Minus-

• once a member, others can remove ideas created by students
• need to sign up to the account to save work
• bubbles may appear to hard to see on the screen, unless zoomed in
• site could be blocked in some schools
• if a whole class is using this site at the same time, the system can sometimes overload and freeze

Interesting-

• Once created, other members can be added to edit the map
• doesn't require a log in unless you want to save work
• Can be used as a brainstorming tool in the classroom

The image above was created by me on Bubbl.us.

Here is a video to explain how to use Bubbl.us. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TP62aNlVu0 on the 13/08/12, created by lvkre8n, 2010.