Changes

===Concept mapping===

===Concept mapping===

Think about the word 'plant'. Now think of all the words that  that come into your mind when you think about the word plant. List these words in your notebook. Some of the common  thoughts/words that may come into mind when thinking about plants are: water, photosynthesis, leaf, flower, root, stem, soil, sunlight, carbon dioxide etc. These words can represent '''concepts''' connected to 'plant'. '''Concept''' is  an abstract representation of an idea  formed in the mind.  Concept maps can help in [http://readingrockets.org/strategies/concept_maps answering questions] such as, "What is it? What is it like? What are some examples?"   

Think about the word 'plant'. Now think of all the words that  that come into your mind when you think about the word plant. List these words in your notebook. Some of the common  thoughts/words that may come into mind when thinking about plants are: water, photosynthesis, leaf, flower, root, stem, soil, sunlight, carbon dioxide etc. These words can represent '''concepts''' connected to 'plant'. '''Concept''' is  an abstract representation of an idea  formed in the mind.  Concept maps can help in answering questions such as, "What is it? What is it like? What are some examples?"   

Learning often consists of understanding the concepts that underlie an activity, or an event or an idea. The linking of related concepts enables the forming of a 'concept map' in our mind, which represents our understanding of the topic or theme.  

Learning often consists of understanding the concepts that underlie an activity, or an event or an idea. The linking of related concepts enables the forming of a 'concept map' in our mind, which represents our understanding of the topic or theme.  

==== Learning to use a digital concept map editor ====

==== Learning to use a digital concept map editor ====

[[File:Freeplane logo.png|frameless|20x20px|link=https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/File:Freeplane_logo.png]][[wikipedia:Freeplane|Freeplane]] is a FOSS application that can be used to create concept maps; in this unit you will learn how to use [[wikipedia:Freeplane|Freeplane]] and its key functionalities.You can view concept maps through Freeplane reader on Android mobile phones.       

[[File:Freeplane logo.png|frameless|20x20px|link=https://teacher-network.in/OER/index.php/File:Freeplane_logo.png]][[wikipedia:Freeplane|Freeplane]] is a FOSS application that can be used to create concept maps; in this unit you will learn how to use [[wikipedia:Freeplane|Freeplane]] and its key functionalities.You can view concept maps through Freeplane reader on Android mobile phones. The following gallery of images (Image 1-4)      

<gallery mode="packed" heights="250px" caption="Learning to use Freeplane">

<gallery mode="packed" heights="250px" caption="Learning to use Freeplane">

File:COL_-_Opening_Freeplane.png|thumb|400x450px|Opening Freeplane from Applications Menu  

File:COL_-_Opening_Freeplane.png|thumb|400x450px|Image 1 - Opening Freeplane from Applications Menu  

File:Conceptmap1.png|400x450px|thumb|Creating a concept map using Freeplane

File:Conceptmap1.png|400x450px|thumb|Image 2 - Creating a concept map using Freeplane

File:Conceptmap2.png|400x450px|thumb|left|Creating a node tree using Freeplane

File:Conceptmap2.png|400x450px|thumb|left|Image 3 - Creating a node tree using Freeplane

File:COL - Concept Map on DST.png|Completed concept map

File:COL - Concept Map on DST.png|Image 4- Completed concept map

</gallery>

</gallery>

# In the custom distribution of the Ubuntu operating system, all the required FOSS applications have been bundled.  To open Freeplane, select <u>Applications → Office →</u> <u>[https://www.freeplane.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Freeplane]</u>, as shown in the first image in the Freeplane gallery.

# In the custom distribution of the Ubuntu operating system, all the required FOSS applications have been bundled.  To open Freeplane, select <u>Applications → Office →</u> <u>[https://www.freeplane.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Freeplane]</u>, as shown in the first image in the Freeplane gallery (Image 1).

# The second image in the gallery shows you how a new concept map appears in Freeplane.  When you open Freeplane, the application  opens a window with a box containing the  text "New mindmap".  This node, also called the "root node" will contain 'topic name' or the core idea/ theme of the resource.  Additional ideas are added by adding more nodes, called child nodes.   

# Image 2 in the gallery shows you how a new concept map appears in Freeplane.  When you open Freeplane, the application  opens a window with a box containing the  text "New mindmap".  This node, also called the "root node" will contain 'topic name' or the core idea/ theme of the resource.  Additional ideas are added by adding more nodes, called child nodes.   

# The concept map gets built by adding further child nodes, for topics and sub-topics.  Use the ‘insert’ key to create a ‘child node’ this is a sub-concept of your current concept. Use the ‘enter’ key to create a ‘sibling’ this is a parallel concept to your current concept. Thus you can create a concept map, as shown in the third image, with just two functions – add child node (insert) and add sibling node (enter). The ideas you have about the topic, the sequencing of ideas and sub concepts, the specific points for each idea / sub-concept can be developed on the map.  The last image shows a completed concept map.[[File:Freeplane linking nodes.png|thumb|Image 5 - Connect two nodes]]

# The concept map gets built by adding further child nodes, for topics and sub-topics.  Use the ‘insert’ key to create a ‘child node’ this is a sub-concept of your current concept. Use the ‘enter’ key to create a ‘sibling’ this is a parallel concept to your current concept. Thus you can create a concept map, as shown in the third image (Image 3), with just two functions – add child node (insert) and add sibling node (enter). The ideas you have about the topic, the sequencing of ideas and sub concepts, the specific points for each idea / sub-concept can be developed on the map.  Image 4 shows a completed concept map.

==== Connecting concepts (nodes) ====

==== Connecting concepts (nodes) ====

Connecting concepts supports meaning making and you can do this in Freeplane by graphically linking nodes, this is in addition to the parent-child links discussed earlier. You can link two nodes (which are not otherwise related as parent-child) by selecting the two nodes and clicking CTRL-L. This will provide a curved arrow to connect the two nodes, see image 5. You can use this to indicate a direct linkage between the concepts represented by the two nodes, as shown in the image.   

[[File:Freeplane linking nodes.png|thumb|Image 5 - Connecting two nodes|400x400px]]Connecting concepts supports meaning making and you can do this in Freeplane by graphically linking nodes, this is in addition to the parent-child links discussed earlier. You can link two nodes (which are not otherwise related as parent-child) by selecting the two nodes and clicking CTRL-L. This will provide a curved arrow to connect the two nodes, see image 5. You can use this to indicate a direct linkage between the concepts represented by the two nodes, as shown in the image.   

''As mentioned in unit 1, while specific steps (such as using CTRL-L for creating graphic links between two nodes) are provided for quick learning, it is more important to learn/understand the concept / processes ("two concepts can be linked" in this case), than the specific implementation process ("CTRL-L"). This understanding can help us to more easily learn another tool in the same area, where the same concept/process may be implemented differently.'' Hence in the source book, the sections are intentionally labelled with the concept/process name, and not the technical implementation step. Memorising helps in speedy use of the tool, but there is no imperative to memorise all the short cuts, since these are usually easily available from the tool menu bar. {{clear}}

''As mentioned in unit 1, while specific steps (such as using CTRL-L for creating graphic links between two nodes) are provided for quick learning, it is more important to learn/understand the concept / processes ("two concepts can be linked" in this case), than the specific implementation process ("CTRL-L"). This understanding can help us to more easily learn another tool in the same area, where the same concept/process may be implemented differently.'' Hence in the source book, the sections are intentionally labelled with the concept/process name, and not the technical implementation step. Memorising helps in speedy use of the tool, but there is no imperative to memorise all the short cuts, since these are usually easily available from the tool menu bar. {{clear}}

==== Embedding files and web-links to a concept ====

==== Embedding files and web-links to a concept ====

[[File:COL_-_Type_the_hyperlink_in_Concept_map.png|left|thumb|400x450px|Image 6 - Inserting hyper-link in a concept map]]You can embed a hyper-link on a node, such that clicking that node will open a page on the Internet or a file on your computer, as shown in the image. This connects a node on your map to related resources you may want the reader to access. You can also use the keyboard short cut CTRL-K to insert a web-link and SHIFT-CTRL-K to insert a link to a file on your computer.  Freeplane will open an input bar, in which you can type in the address (see Image 6). The link is indicated by a red arrow inside the node.  

[[File:COL_-_Type_the_hyperlink_in_Concept_map.png|left|thumb|400x450px|Image 6 - Inserting hyper-link in a concept map]]You can embed a hyper-link on a node, such that clicking that node will open a page on the Internet or a file on your computer, as shown in the image (Image 6). This connects a node on your map to related resources you may want the reader to access. You can also use the keyboard short cut CTRL-K to insert a web-link and SHIFT-CTRL-K to insert a link to a file on your computer.  Freeplane will open an input bar, in which you can type in the address. The link is indicated by a red arrow inside the node.  

[[File:Freeplanelinkfile.png|thumb|400x450px|Image 7 - Linking to files on your computer]]

[[File:Freeplanelinkfile.png|thumb|400x450px|Image 7 - Linking to files on your computer]]

      

      

You can also add a hyper-link to a local file on your computer. When you click on Edit-->Link-->Add Hyperlink (choose) allows you to link to a file on a folder on your computer. The third image shows how to choose a file from your folders to link (see Image 7). For instance, if you would like to display an image associated with a node, you can link the image file to the node and clicking the arrow, will open the image. You can link any file. You can even link a node to another concept map, this way you could link concept maps of topics related to a subject, to provide a connected perspective on these concepts. {{clear}}

You can also add a hyper-link to a local file on your computer. When you click on Edit-->Link-->Add Hyperlink (choose) allows you to link to a file on a folder on your computer. The image here (Image 7) shows how to choose a file from your folders to link. For instance, if you would like to display an image associated with a node, you can link the image file to the node and clicking the arrow, will open the image. You can link any file. You can even link a node to another concept map, this way you could link concept maps of topics related to a subject, to provide a connected perspective on these concepts. {{clear}}

==== Annotating a concept ====

==== Annotating a concept ====

[[File:Conceptmap3.png|thumb|400x400px|Image 8 - Notes can be added to nodes|left]]To add a note to a node, you can click on the node, go to View--->Notes--->Display note panel; this will open a window in which you can type your notes.You can change the position and size of this note window using your mouse.

[[File:Conceptmap3.png|thumb|400x400px|Image 8 - Notes can be added to nodes|left]]The 'notes' feature allows you to provide detailed explanations, examples etc to any concept in the map. This can help you detail out your thinking on a concept. Freeplane displays a yellow label in the node, for which you have added a note.To add a note to a node, you can click on the node, go to View--->Notes--->Display note panel; this will open a window in which you can type your notes. See Image 8 for how to add notes to a concept.  You can change the position and size of this note window using your mouse.  

 

The 'notes' feature allows you to provide detailed explanations, examples etc to any concept in the map. This can help you detail out your thinking on a concept. Freeplane displays a yellow label in the node, for which you have added a note.

These are some basic functionalities of Freeplane. For more advanced functions, you should refer to the User Manual for the application. The Freeplane tutorial is available within Freeplane itself, which you can access any time by pressing the F1 function key. ''The tutorial itself is a concept map, and you should browse this concept map, not only to get help that you may require, but also as a lesson on how a concept map can communicate so much information in such a simple and coherent manner!''

These are some basic functionalities of Freeplane. For more advanced functions, you should refer to the User Manual for the application. The Freeplane tutorial is available within Freeplane itself, which you can access any time by pressing the F1 function key. ''The tutorial itself is a concept map, and you should browse this concept map, not only to get help that you may require, but also as a lesson on how a concept map can communicate so much information in such a simple and coherent manner!''

# Freeplane may ask you to restart, after which you can type in Kannada.

# Freeplane may ask you to restart, after which you can type in Kannada.

==== Saving your concept map ====

==== Saving your concept map ====

The images below show you how to save and export concept maps in Freeplane. While saving the file, Freeplane will display the file browser, to allow you to select the folder in which you can save your file. By default your concept map is saved by Freeplane as a '.mm' format file, as shown in the first image. However, the concept map can be saved in many other formats. You can export the map to a text document file (in .odt or .doc formats). You can also export the map as an image (in .png or .jpeg formats) or as a web page (in .html format), as shown in the second image. By default, the file is saved in your home folder.  

The images below (Image 9,10) show you how to save and export concept maps in Freeplane. While saving the file, Freeplane will display the file browser, to allow you to select the folder in which you can save your file. By default your concept map is saved by Freeplane as a '.mm' format file, as shown in Image 9. However, the concept map can be saved in many other formats. You can export the map to a text document file (in .odt or .doc formats). You can also export the map as an image (in .png or .jpeg formats) or as a web page (in .html format), as shown in the Image 10. By default, the file is saved in your home folder.  

Saving a file enables you to store it and to share a copy with others. Digital format of the resource enables us to use it resource easily across space and time!  

Saving a file enables you to store it and to share a copy with others. Digital format of the resource enables us to use it resource easily across space and time!