Demonstration of a mind map I created using Mindmeister. This demonstration shows how Mindmeister can be used for Judaic instruction and teacher training.

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will continue our discussion on how  students in a Judaic Studies blended learning classroom can use Mindmeister to brainstorm and mind map ideas. 

Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has a interactive white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees had access to their own laptop computers or Ipads as well.

Note: Although Mindmeister can be applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it can be also be used for training pre-service and in-service Jewish educators for professional or staff development. It is our hope that Jewish educators around the globe will form an online community of practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of Jewish educators. For example, here is a CoP you might want to join. 

Note: Mindmeister can also be used in a face to face classroom. 

What is Mindmeister?

Mindmeister is a web-based brainstorming or mind mapping tool that empowers users to generate, diagram and link ideas.

Where is  Mindmeister  located on the web?

Demonstration of a mind map I created using Mindmeister. This demonstration shows how Mindmeister can be used for Judaic instruction and teacher training.

Click here to see a demonstration of a brainstorming mind map I made using Mindmeister. To see this Mindmeister example you will need to obtain a Mindmeister account.

On the next post we will share another web-based mind mapping tool, Mind 42.