A Useful Mindmap Tool : BUBBL

Bubbl is an online web tool that enables users to create brainstorming diagrams and mindmapping online. Ideas and thoughts are recorded in colorful text bubbles linked to the main bubble. It is simple and easy to make digital mindmaps with bubbl.

Brainstorming is a great way of solving problems and coming up with new ideas. And the basic concept behind brainstorming is to capture ideas as quickly as possible. So, at that point, creating mindmap is an efficient part of the brainstorming process. Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out from those. Mind maps can be used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas when you study and organize information, solve problems, make decisions, and write.

For example, when we prepared for a presentation about this tool, we created a mindmap on bubbl showing what we should tell to the audiences in our presentation..  We didn’t have a difficulty thanks to easiness of the tool but rather we got ideas on the content of the presentation easily and swiftly.. 


As you can see, I can embed that mindmap here. So, it's an important advantage of the tool.
Also, you can export the mindmaps as JPEG or you can share them via e-mail..

It's possible to choose the color or the size of the bubbles.

And lastly.. You know, a tool is just a tool.. So we should know how can we use it efficiently in our classes... Mind mapping triggers students’ creativity, also it attracts students’ attention.
When compared to traditional writing , mind-mapping technique is a powerful tool for improving students’ ability to generate, visualise and organise ideas mind-maps can be used to generate ideas, take notes, develop concepts and ideas, and improve memory.

      

TALK TO THE WORLD BY USING HELLOTALK

Hi guys ! :) I'm going to talk about an useful application for English language learning. 

If you want to use the language for communication, your grammar and vocabulary knowledge is not sufficient for an efficient communication. So, you need to practice with the people. For example, when I was at 9th grade, I wasn't able to write a long sentence or convey my ideas or even, introduce myself by speaking. Then, my teacher suggested me to acquire penpals from the other parts of the world. I searched and found a website which enables me to chat with people from all over the world. I had so many friends. They were from New Zealand, Poland, Finland, Malaysia, China, Indonesia etc. Also, I had two snail mail friends thanks to that website. But after years, we have an easier way to have friends and practice in English. For example, Hello Talk is an application to talk to the people from all over the world. 

                                      

 You have a profile on Hello Talk. On that screen, your native language and the languages in which you want to practice, your age, gender etc. can be seen. 

 You can add friends but it's not necessary to chat..
 On HelloTalk, it's possible to send voice records,photos,videos and emojis..
 If there is any grammar or vocabulary mistake in your sentences, the person you chat with can write the correct form and you see it. This immediate feedback is important and nice in terms of language improvement. 

Let's go to the app, find me there and start to practice English with me ! ;)

A Digital Story: Lassie ! :)

Hellooo everyone ! :)

You know, we have a project in our Technology and Material Design course everyweek. And this week, we created a digital story with my dear friend Özgenur.

Before you watch our digital story video, I want to tell you something about digital storytelling and the process of our digital storytelling adventure :)

What is Digital Storytelling?

    Digital storytelling is a combination of text, voice narration, music, sound effects, images and graphics to create a fictional or non-fictional multimedia narration.

The process of digital storytelling provides a high-quality learning experience because it can help for the improvement in language skills of the students. 

They write a story by using their creativeness and imagination world. Then they narrate the story with the help of voice recorder. And later, they can draw the pictures. If you provide the storyboard for your students as a teacher, the drawing process will be easier. Also, there so many animation websites or tools for creating  a digital story. You should remind them that they must choose a music and add effects.
After all of these steps, they can put the text, narration, visual items and music together with transitions. They'll use an animation program or a software like movie maker for the last step. 

Our Digital Storytelling Process

We used an  animation website named GoAnimate. After writing our story, we started to choose our visual items GoAnimate. At the same time, we recorded our voices and choose a music. We put them together but after all of these, we noticed that downloading the video for free or share it on youtube is not possible. So, we had to use a program to record our video. Then we opened recorded video with Movie Maker, add the voice records and music on it. 

In consequently, we had some difficulties but we enjoyed on this task. :)

Let's watch our digital story ! :)
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