Active Learning Series (Mind map & Flash cards)
- Parham
- Oct 3, 2020
- 4 min read
’’Quality is not an act, but a habit’’ (Aristotle)
Previously on active Learning Series, we talked about how you should be actively engaged while you are studying, and we mentioned some strategies which can help you to achieve this.
As we promised we are going to dig deeper into those techniques. In this post, we will talk about making mind maps and flashcards.
we will try to be unbiased and give you both positive and negative points accordingly.
So without any hesitation let’s dive in.
Mind Map:
Making mind maps is so different these days. There are so many apps and online facilities that help you with making them. If you like the old fashion method, you can use your pen and paper to make one. I personally prefer to use my devices. The app I use is called XMind. The reason that I chose XMind over the pen and paper method is that it gives you this flexibility to study where ever you are. This also allows me to share my work with my friends so we can all learn together. Plus, the fact that I’m specific about this app is because it’s so straightforward and also gives you tools and features that are more advanced compared to other applications.
So let me tell you the main advantages of mind maps:
You get all information on one page, therefore, it is perfect to quickly revise the material that you have already covered.
It is best when used for topics that are related to each other.
In the case of using XMind, it gives you different templates for your mind map and it’s really easy to use. You can add notes and drawings to your point boxes or hyperlink them to make your mind map even more informative.
You can always add new points from different topics to your mind map and learn them holistically.
Nothing is perfect. I found the following disadvantages while using mind map:
It can be time-consuming, as sometimes it is hard to come up with a good layout for the topic. So basically, it takes a bit of creativity.
It may take a while for you to get adapted to this study method and use the app.
It is not always possible to relate materials in a way to make a mind map. Instead, you might think of using other methods like making Flashcards for them.
In the case of using XMind, one of the issues that I came across was that if you want to access some tools such as adding voices and pictures, you will need to pay the subscription fee which is about £55 a year.
If you are interested, tap here to see how I use XMind to make my mind maps:
Flashcards:
Scientifically speaking, repetition strengthens your synaptic connections and forms new synapses to ameliorate your memory. Flashcards use repetition and help you to recall information more effectively. It uses active-recall technique and is best when you want to learn factual concepts.
If you are the type of person that prefers old fashion study methods, you can still use your pen and paper to make your flashcards. However, as I said before, I prefer to use my devices. There are so many helpful apps like the Anki app. I use the Anki app as it is free to use on both IOS and android devices. Bear with me while I address the benefits of using the app over pen and paper.
One of the main advantages is being able to share my work across all my devices, this enables me to use my cards where ever I am. This also allows me to search for online resources of flash cards and add them to my deck. needless to say, adding pictures and links to your flashcards are other benefits that you only get when using the apps or websites.
Making flashcards, no matter how you choose to do, is one of the most efficient ways of active learning. A well-known technique of using flashcards is called the Leitner system, it aids with memorisation of the concept. To read more about this, click here.
However, this method comes with some disadvantages. You may end up making so many flashcards without having time to go through them regularly. Plus, in some cases, you may lose the connection between topics by separating them while making flashcards.
To conclude, as mentioned before there are lots of study methods out there. To find out which strategy works best for you, you may need to try a few of them first. As all of these methods come with their advantages and disadvantages, you may need to use a combination of them to develop a deeper understanding of the subject in the most effective way. If you have been reading this far, I hope it helps you in your future studies and please stay alert for our next posts by subscribing through this link.
Here I have put the links for downloading XMind so you can access them easily ;)
Mobile:
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