Review: Effective learning strategy, incorporating mind maps
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 22, 2011
If you are looking for a book that has a bunch of colorful mind-maps or that looks at mind-maps from different angles, this is NOT it.The main focus of this book is on helping you to learn effectively through what the author calls, Concise Learning Method.  The method incorporates the use of mind maps, sometimes called visual maps.The author points out that highly successful students apply an information filter early in the learning process because they know they can't possibly absorb all of the information presented, nor do they have to.  They select what is important to learn.  They make a conscious decision to absorb only the key concepts, which in turn enables them to learn the course material better and faster and to be able to apply it to other areas of learning as well.The method consists of 5 phases of learning (preview, participate, process, practice, and produce)  and four steps within each phase (identify key concepts, meaningfully organize and connect key concept using visual maps, think critically, and ask key questions).With Concise Learning Method, learning is achieved via a five-phase process (looking for puzzle pieces) that involves meaningfully organizing and connecting key concepts in a visual map (putting together the puzzle pieces), critically thinking, and asking key questions.The 4 steps within each phase of Concise Learning Method form a continuous cycle during which you identify key concepts in the raw and unstructured information presented to you.  You then organize the information, which in turn improves your understanding and gives you the ability to think critically about the information you have and the information that you need (key questions) to complete your understanding of the material.The author shares 10 steps used in drawing a mind map:1. Select the concept, topic, or subject to map2. Gather all the relevant information3. Keep the map simple, concise, relevant, accurate, complete, logical and clear4. Start in the center with the central concept5. Add primary concepts on the branches connected to the central concept6. Branch subconcepts off the primary concepts to elaborate and clarify7. Continue to capture and map key concepts, reorganize, and edit as needed.8. Add more information - provided it adds value - to the key concepts you've already mapped9. Add visual elements and formatting to increase the map's effectiveness10. Go through the visual map checklist for any final editsThe author also shares ideas for ordering your primary concepts and subconcepts:- WS: who/what, how much, where, when, how, and why- Classification: Arrangements or relationships- Definitions:  Meanings of things- Divisions: Chapters or lessons or themes- Evaluation: Benefits- Function: What things do- History: Chronological sequence of events- Process: How things work- Properties: Characteristics- Roles: Roles of relationships of characters- Structure: How things are formedThis book does contain a lot of visual maps, created with Mindjet Mind Manager, and the author mentions other popular mind mapping programs like iMindMap, MindMapper, and NovaMind.  He also states that of course, you can draw your maps by hand, but that using a computer program may be easier, and also mentions some of the free mind mapping programs you can find like XMind, FreMind, Mind42 and IHMC CmapTools.