Mind mapping is a concept that’s been around in some form or another for decades, but recent innovations in technology have made this concept especially accessible. iPads, for example (as well as other types of tablets), are perfect for creating mind/concept maps, as users can pinch and zoom and move concepts and images around with their fingers or styluses. These apps are especially helpful for visual learners or for anyone who might benefit from a visual approach to planning/organizing ideas.

Popplet is a mind mapping tool for students K-12 (and adults) that emphasizes simplicity over complicated features, making it easy to approach and use within a very short window of time. The other mind mapping apps that we’ve looked at in the past tend to have more features, but also have a steeper learning curve, making Popplet a great choice for distance-learning collaboration.

Like other mind-mapping tools, Popplet is great at visually representing hierarchies with a minimum amount of effort from the user, as images and text can be easily added to a user’s map, allowing learners to concentrate on the subject matter rather than on the creation of the map itself. Compared to a more robust mind mapping app such as Kidspiration Maps, some users may expect more features, but, if you are looking for a simpler, more straight-forward mind mapping tool that still gets the job done (which may be ideal for students who struggle with technology or are simply prone to distraction), then Popplet is definitely worth considering.

More Features:

• Supports pinch and zoom gestures for iOS
• Available in 100+ languages
• Export work as PDF or JPEG
• Unlimited boards for iOS, 10 boards for online version
• Capture notes using images, text, drawing tool, and text-to-speech

Popplet is available for iOS for $2.99, and a lite version is available for free with limited features. Click here to learn more. There is also a web-based version of the app available here.

Tags: apps, AT HelpDesk