Instructional Technology Forum Archives

Forum Summary

From Professory Paul Gregory:

Paul Gregory

"For the past year or so I have been searching for an alternative to PowerPoint. For certain purposes I have felt constrained by PowerPoint's linear, bullet-point structure. PowerPoint has little to no resources for dynamically showing the "big-picture" especially interconnections among important ideas. Nor is there any simple mechanism for moving in any direction other than forward. To try to remedy this, I have been experimenting with two commercial mind-mapping products

MindJet describes MindManager X5 as "The Visual Tool for Planning, Collaboration and Business Process Management". It is a visual concept mapping tool for brainstorming ideas, planning and organizing tasks, and presenting these in a non-linear fashion. This is marketed to the business community.

Inspiration (by Inspiration Software) is marketed for use in grades 6-12, it also is a visual concept mapping tool for brainstorming, organizing, and presenting ideas in a non-linear fashion.

Both have many advantages and drawbacks. Using the software, I will discuss my experience with these programs for project planning and class presentations."