Follow Up to Out of Bounds: Comparison of Mapping Tools

In my last post, I tried Lovely Charts as a way to visually organize text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections. While I liked the webbing approach, I did not like the tool. So I decided to recreate the web using three other mapping tools: Bubbl.us, Mind42, and Webspiration. Here's what I found. Note that all three tools are free, and that I'm comparing them with the lens of a teacher interested in using them with her students.

Bubbl.us

http://bubbl.us/

Bubbl.us was much easier to use than Lovely Charts. Small icons would appear each time I added a bubble, allowing me to easily add, change, remove, or move what was already on the screen. You can also invite friends to collaborate on your web (termed a "sheet") with a friends list. A menu allows you to send a read-only link, embed (a dynamic object!) in a blog or web page, and export or import items. The downside? The result is not nearly as visually appealing as the finished product in Lovely Charts. It's also very easy to forget to name and save your work, as this is not something you are prompted to do.

Mind42
http://mind42.com/

I had a little more trouble setting this one up, although it still wasn't as difficult to figure out as Lovely Charts. I also had trouble figuring out how to embed the map into the post, although I eventually found the correct option for doing so (look under "Open Publish Dialogue" to do so). I do like that, as with Bubbl.us, you have the ability to embed a dynamic object into a web page or blog and that you can manipulate the map from the blog. I also like that you have the ability to collaborate and that you are prompted to name and save your work from the start. However, I don't like the layout and don't feel that it is very student friendly. The shapes of the bubbles in Bubbl.us much more closely matches what we present to students as mind maps, webs, or graphic organizers. I also couldn't find a way to manipulate the entries so that the text was not all displayed on one long single line. This makes the web much harder to read, in my opinion.

Webspiration

http://mywebspiration.com/

The embedded version isn't very attractive. You can also view my map at http://mywebspiration.com/view/457127a6684.

Webspiration is a web-based version of the Inspiration software. I had used Inspiration when I taught several years ago, so I was able to create the web much more quickly. The tool offers the most flexibility in terms of customization of images using various symbols, line and arrow thickness, and a wide variety of non-bubble images to use within the web. Finished products can look quite sophisticated if sufficient time is given for students to experiment with all the options (something I didn't do for this post). I also found from past experience that students could learn how to use the tool fairly quickly. Webspiration also allows users to collaborate, chat, and comment - features that can greatly extend the utility of the assignment. The lack of an attractive embed option is a definite drawback, although it may not affect many teachers who do not publish to a class blog or web page.

Overall, I would recommend Webspiration as the most robust tool, with Bubbl.us as a good option for teachers looking for a quick and simple approach to webbing. Mind42, while still useful, would not be as helpful for use with students, particularly those in the elementary and middle grades.