Visual Tools for Constructing Knowledge
David Hyerle
Association For Supervision and Curriculum Development 1996
ISBN 0-87120-266-2

A Field Guide to Using Visual Tools
David Hyerle
Association For Supervision and Curriculum Development 2000
ISBN 0-87120-367-7

These books present different types and uses of visual tools. They discuss brainstorming webs, task-specific organizers, thinking-process maps, and thinking maps. These books don't just talk about the maps but talk about why they work and how to make them work effectively. They state that current schools focus on products and not group work while business focuses on brainstorming sessions with groups using visual tools. It is often thought that brainstorms and other tools are only used for prewriting. The books present visual tools and graphic organizers can be the final product and not only the prewriting activity.
I felt that it might be hard to teach mind mapping because you don't want to be too specific but students need to know what is expected. Too specific of an example might stifle creativity. One great activity I can't wait to try is co-construction of knowledge in a class by creating a mind map together. This would be great as a visual, graphic KWL chart.
I have found that students are greatly motivated by computers and computers are going to be a large part of their life. Thus, the first thing I asked in my mind was; What software is out there? Inspiration is the only encouraged mindmapping technology. Technology is professed to be a limiter and not easy enough to use to be dynamic.
Addressing student motivation, students need to feel safe to be motivated. Safety in the class is essential to full mindmapping use and participation.
The sorting tree was awesome. I remember being fascinated by figuring out what kind of tree the leaf in my hand was from in college. While it was a sorting tree, it was made by someone else and was used backwards. You took the leaf, decided which characteristic it had and then went to the next level, this proceeded until it was decided which tree it was. It was so neat, like figuring out a puzzle. Imagine my excitement when I was told I got to make one myself.
I was concerned with their preference for standardization of form to promote idea development. I think flexibility of form is also part of the learning, organizing lesson. Students need practice generalizing how to use the maps and not only expecting the teacher to show them all the maps they will encounter in their life.
The second book supplements and enhances the first book mentioned above. I like their idea of working smarter with smarter tools. I fully prefer to use my computer because it is easier and quicker than writing things out. If given permission to use visual tools I know many people would prefer them as less verbose, easier, and quicker than spelling out the connections in pages of text.
Another great idea presented in these books is that life is patterns and the brain is a pattern detector. Humans have to see order and connections in life to make things make sense. Too often in class students are left to make these connections themselves. Visual tools make connections easier and more clear to students. As we study how people learn, we need to look at how to teach in the best way to meet learning processes. Using thinking maps accesses different learning styles and will often bring out more of what a student knows, enhancing learning instead of stifling it by requiring the student to match adult expected words.
The main purpose of these books is to tell teachers how to use the thinking maps not just to show what they are. Just as the best books in the world don't work if used wrong the visual tools presented in these books need to be student driven and open ended to be truly successful.