As a South African, I feel an extreme sense of pride and joy, as I am posting this article on the birthday of the great Nelson Mandela.

Today, 18 July, has been declared international ‘Mandela Day‘ by the United Nations General Assembly, where everyone is encouraged to do some good for humanity on this day.

This article, the free articles on MindMapTutor.com and UsingMindMaps.com, as well as the free weekly tips are all done in the spirit of giving before you get.

Today, I would like you to put together a plan for lifelong learning.

As Nelson Mandela said about education:

‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’
Nelson Mandela

In South Africa, we are once again in the wake of another major educational change in our school curriculum. But it’s not merely the change to the curriculum that’s making waves, it is the change in the methodology that is causing so much debate and even disruption.

South Africa needed a change in its approach to education after the first free elections in 1994. This brought about major revisions to the curriculum and the methods of teaching and learning.

The ‘Brain Trust’, being the Educational Department, concluded that ‘Outcomes Based Education‘ (OBE) would be the new standard. With OBE came along new methods, new terminology and a learner centric approach to learning, versus a teacher centric approach. It all sounded great.

Unfortunately the practical implementation did not go as well as the academic discussions did.

This led to the current and previous revisions.

The biggest problem that this created, in my opinion, is uncertainty in both parents and students.

While the South African education problem has been, and will still be, debated to death, time marches on. Learners are still graduating every year. They are entering tertiary institutions like universities and colleges. They are entering the workplace and some are becoming entrepreneurs.

What is the message that must be given to them?

While I am not an academic, I am a ‘knowledge worker‘. I’ve made my living in an industry (information technology) that requires constant learning and innovation. My ability to learn faster than my competitor is a definite advantage.

This advantage has taken me from the ‘Third World’ to Europe, where I could apply my knowledge in my chosen field and learn a new language, Dutch.

It allowed me to change career focus as and when I needed.

And it afforded me to write this highly opinionated article today!

Luckily, I am married to an education specialist. She helped me put together a Learning Management Program that can be used to learn any subject under the sun. The program has been tested in the classroom, in the workplace and in self-study.

The strange thing about the program (to me anyway), is the interest that has been shown by people all over the world. Since the program has been packaged into an easily accessible Ebook format, it is now easy available for world wide access and instant download.

Does this mean that educational systems all over the world are in disarray? This conclusion would cause world wide anarchy. But is does mean that brains are in quandary, as Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map, states in ‘The Mind Map Book’. This is not a South African problem, but a world wide problem.

What has really changed?

With so many different opinions on educational systems all over the world, it is rather obvious to a non-academic like myself that none of them are correct – and all of them are correct. (That should cover me).

If you asked the question: ‘What is a knowledgeable person?‘ today, what would the answer be. Would the answer have been any different if it was asked centuries ago?

Would a person like Leonardo da Vinci be a great mind today?

The answer is a most emphatic ‘Yes!’

I am going to give you some characteristics that I think a brilliant mind should have. I am also going to show you that you can still acquire a brilliant mind if you start now.

And if you acquire these characteristics, you will immediately start improving your competitive advantage.

A great mind has a good memory

Throughout the ages, people have been astounded and impressed by people with great memories. Your ability to recall facts where and when you need it is indispensable. If you start applying memory techniques to your daily life, you will see almost immediate rewards.

The Mind Map is the ultimate mnemonic and memory tool. It is for this reason that Tony Buzan dubbed it the ‘Swiss Army Knife of The Brain’.

The articles on our website UsingMindMaps.com should get you started with Mind Mapping. Our Learning Management Program will really get you going.

No matter the country, the language, the education system – improving your memory can only give you advantages over those with poor memories.

A great mind can apply what has been learned

Once again, let’s look at Leonardo da Vinci. He has left behind a legacy of applying his knowledge. We know that he was a great mind because of the practical applications of his knowledge, not the volumes of textbooks that he wrote on the subject.

He even has a lot of impractical models that would never work, as a part of that legacy.

In other words, even he was not always right!

Don’t be afraid. Apply what you have learned. Use the scientific approach, which is as follows:

• You start with hypothesis
• You test the hypothesis
• You get feedback from the tests
• You do some more tests based on the feedback
• Continue until you succeed

There is a statement goes something like: ‘To succeed more often, you have to fail more often‘. In other words, the more attempts you make, the greater the likelihood of success, (but also the greater the likelihood of failure).

Thomas Edison, arguably one of the greatest inventors of the modern era, is reported to have failed 10,000 times before he successfully invented the incandescent light bulb.

A great mind shows insight

By continuously improving your memory and applying what you have learned, you will in a very short space of time begin to show insights that other people find amazing.

Those are the same characteristics that define a genius.

By improving your memory and applying what you have learned, you will start to make connections between diverse subjects. Those connections will bring about a new thinking, a new approach.

This is how human knowledge evolves.

Coming back to the great Leonardo da Vinci, you will see that he was a great mathematician, scientist, inventor, artist and lots more.

Does your current approach to learning enable you to do this?

Most people stop structured learning once they stop formal education. What they don’t realise is that their school, college and university qualifications are only the beginning.

It is with this in mind that our Learning Management Program was put together. There is nothing new in it, but it does package things in a simple 10 step program that virtually guarantees that you will learn faster and easier, than with having no system.

The program prepares you for learning by revisiting your vision, your goals, your time management and gets you motivated to succeed.

You then go about honing the skills needed: memory, reading and note taking.

After this, you refine the application of the skills by developing a method to learn, study and test your knowledge.

The program ends with advice on keeping sharp by looking after your Mind, Body and Spirit.

All this is done with Mind Maps, using our unique MindMapTutor concept.

Conclusion

While educational systems all over the world differ, the concept of a great mind is almost universal.

You therefore need an approach to learning that can be applied within any system – in any country.

It is with the universal principles of Recall, Application and Insight that our Learning Management Program was developed so that you can stay on a path of lifelong learning and maintain a competitive edge by being able to learn faster and easier.

I’ve given you enough information to develop your own program, but I recommend that you get hold of our Learning Management Program today, so that you can speed up the process of lifelong learning  – starting NOW!

Our methods are easy to learn, simple to use and produce fast results – no matter what educational system you are using.

Lance Armstrong is arguably the best cyclist that ever lived.

Yet, his fame and achievements go beyond his seven Tour de France wins. His ultimate achievement lies entirely somewhere else.

In 1996, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer. In 1999 he won the Tour de France, one of the most gruelling cycling races around. The Tour de France covers about 3,600 km (2,200 miles) across France and bordering countries and lasts three weeks.

This was to be the first of an unparalleled seven wins.

His story is one of grit, determination and the human spirit tackling difficulties head on. It is important to note that his book, ‘It’s Not About the Bike’, was written in 2000, just after his first Tour de France win in 1999. He went on to win seven Tour de France’s after this.

It wasn’t written after his successes, but during his struggles.

But why title the book, ‘It’s Not About the Bike’, and what has it to do with Mind Mapping?

There is an idiom that states: ‘A bad workman blames his tools‘, which, in my mind, summarises the principle Lance Armstrong wants to make.

Did Lance Armstrong have the best bike in the business? You bet he did. In fact, he revolutionised the way bicycles were made by using a ‘Formula One’ approach. Bikes used to be assembled from components made and designed by different manufacturers and designers. He got sponsors and manufacturers to collaborate to produce a bike that was designed as a coherent whole, possibly giving him the best bike in the business.

Yet, it’s still not about the bike!

You could give the same bike to a lesser athlete. Would they win seven Tour de France races?

The best workmen DO have the best tools, but it’s not about the tools.

The same goes for Mind Mapping and learning.

The Tools

Mind Maps are described as the Ultimate Thinking Tool and the ‘Swiss Army Knife‘ of the brain, by Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map.

I’ve seen many Mind Mappers draw perfect Mind Maps, following all the Mind Map Principles. They have a beautiful central image. Their branches are organic and colourful. They print on the branches, with one Key Word per branch.

Yet, they still do poorly.

Are Mind Maps to blame for their poor performance?

I’ve seen many non-Mind Mappers get very good results. Does this mean they can’t benefit from Mind Maps?

I believe a Mind Map is the greatest tool to bring out the best in you. But you need a broader, holistic approach to your learning; And you need to put in the work. There is no easy ride to victory. Look no further than Lance Armstrong’s gruelling recovery program.

Mind Maps will make your life easier and make learning more fun, but it will still be hard work.

All the more reason that you have to work smarter.

We believe that having a learning framework is so important, that we’ve put together an affordable Ebook on the subject to get you started before you invest in expensive tools and services.

If you don’t apply the correct learning principles when creating your Mind Maps, you could end up with a beautiful, colourful, organic Mind Map that meets all the Mind Map Principles, and still not perform.

Lance Armstrong still employed the best coaches, trainers and tools he could afford.

The Map and Reality

A map is not reality, it is just a Map of reality. Imagine visiting South Africa for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. You love soccer and this is the first time that the Fifa Soccer World Cup is being played on African soil.

You want to experience the adventure of travelling in Africa, yet enjoy some of the greatest football ever played. You want a guide that will take you there with the least amount of effort, yet provide you with the creativity and freedom to follow your own path.

You arrive in South Africa and go to the nearest market, where you buy a Map of the country. The Map is the most beautiful, colourful Map you have ever seen. But, it wasn’t drawn up by an expert cartographer and didn’t use accurate sources for the information on the Map. The Map doesn’t reflect reality accurately.

Very soon, you will distrust the Map. The less the Map reflects reality, the less you will trust it. Soon you will be looking out for another guide to the country.

You may find a personal guide that knows South Africa well and get the guide to take you through the country. The guide becomes a great help, and is most welcome in a foreign country like South Africa, which has a bad reputation and is notorious for being dangerous. Yet, the guide has limited knowledge on the subject and you are totally dependent on the guide to find your way. The guide is definitely not the best tool to explore the country. The guide does not empower you to explore the country like you envisaged, but the guide appears to be working well and is ’safe’; just like your linear methods.

The same goes for Mind Maps. Mind Maps can unlock the unlimited potential of your wonderful brain. It can combine both your creative and logical side and allow you to use your brain just like the great geniuses of the world.

But, your Mind Map must reflect reality – It must reflect the content accurately. If not, you will start distrusting your Mind Maps and go back to old, linear ways.

Learning how to Learn

To do this, you need to revisit the way you learn. You need some kind of program that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. Lance Armstrong went on a vigorous program, both mentally and physically, once on the road to recovery.

You need to get on the program of lifelong learning. You need to get to understand good learning principles so that you can record and retrieve information as quickly and accurately as possible.

• You need to have a vision, become motivated, and set goals.
• You need to manage your time effectively.
• You need to read faster, with better comprehension.
• You need to record what you have read with more creativity and accuracy.
• You need to remember what you have read.
• You need to maintain a sound mind and a sound body.

Once you have all this in place, you can start talking about the quality of your ‘bike’.

We have taken these principles and put it into a Learning Management Program, and packaged it in an affordable Ebook to get you started. It is no silver bullet, but it will get you on the right path.

Once you have these principles in place, your Mind Mapping efforts will be improved. You will get better results with less effort and not continue with the law of diminishing returns, where you have to put in more and more effort, with smaller and smaller rewards.

By using Mind Maps to reflect the original content and your own thoughts accurately and by applying a good learning management program, you will soon realise that it’s not about the Mind Map – It’s about the content, and your ability to reflect it accurately and succinctly.

P.S. As stated last week, we are developing an interactive MindMapTutor using Opensource Software. The cost has not been finalised, but it will be much more than the cost of the Ebook. You can get it free, if you purchase the Ebook before end June.

But are you a Mind Mapper?

This question is particularly relevant if you’re on my email list and have been for months. Have you made the transition?

My guess is: Probably Not.

Why is it so difficult to change?

We found that using Mind Maps are easy, but creating them is a bit more difficult.

Teaching you the Mind Map basics is easy. Mind Maps are fun, colourful and engage the whole brain, so changing should be easy.

There are enough courses, books and websites on the subject for you to learn the Mind Map principles in a very short time.

Yet, changing from your linear ways is hard.

The Linear Way is a part of your life blood. You were taught throughout your life with linear methods. All your note taking during your development years has been linear.

Things that are learned early in life are the hardest to change or unlearn. Early conceptions of the world, even if lost to consciousness, remain a part of our memory and may influence our behaviors in some very interesting ways. (Barry Greenwald, Ph.D)

During our use of Mind Maps and our experiences in teaching with Mind Maps, we found that the problem does not lie in the Mind Map Principles, or in the Steps used to create a Mind Map.

The problem lies in your ability to change.

For you to change, you have to consciously go back to learning how to learn. People look at my MindMapTutor summaries of popular books and say: ‘That’s easy!‘

What they don’t realise is that there’s are over two decades of Mind Mapping experience embedded in the creation of that Mind Map.

Have a look at my MindMapTutors on The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, or the Six Thinking Hats. I believe that I’ve covered the essence of the books in those Mind Maps.

An urban legend of Pablo Picasso illustrates this principle even better:

…Legend has it that Pablo Picasso was sketching in the park when a bold woman approached him.

“It’s you — Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.”

So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art.

“It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?”

“Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied.

“B-b-but, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!”

To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life”…

Don’t worry, I won’t ask you Five Thousand Dollars for any of my Mind Maps!

Are you able to summarise a whole book on one simple Mind Map? Or, better still, are you able to summarise a whole book on one or two pages that includes both a Mind Map and a text explanation?

If your answer is yes, please send us some examples. We will be keen to publish them on our website, where you can share them with the world.

The answer for most of you will, unfortunately, probably be ‘no’.

To help you get there, we’ve come up with a couple of solutions.

Step 1 – Go back to learning how to learn.

You need to consciously visit the way that you learn. You have naturally been learning for many years, but:

• Do you understand the principles behind your learning?
• Do you follow a structured learning method?
• Do you know how to extract the important information when learning?
• Are your notes structured?
• Has your reading method gone beyond Grade 1?
• Are you using Mind Maps?
• Can you recall what you have learned effortlessly?
• Are you committed to lifelong learning?
• Is learning Fun?

If you have said no to one or more of the above questions, then you need to develop a Learning Management Programme so that you can learn how to learn and start getting a competitive advantage by learning faster than your competitor.

We have made this easy for you by creating an affordable, instantly downloadable, Ebook. You can obviously develop your own program, which could take you months, or even years. Or, you can simply purchase ours for a quick start.

Summarising and applying our program using Mind Maps, would be the perfect start to a new life. This brings us to the next step:

Step 2 – Use Mind Map Software

Mind Map Software has revolutionised the way you are able to create your Mind Maps. The branches can be rearranged, modified, or even deleted with the press of a few keys, or a few mouse clicks.

Gone are the days where you had to manually draw and redraw on paper. Things which took hours the manual way, can be done in a few seconds.

I believe that Mind Map Software will make Mind Mapping more accessible to many people, as it takes away the ‘fear factor’.

There is no need to buy expensive software to get started. We recommend that you get hold of Xmind Mind Mapping Software. Xmind is OpenSource, so it won’t cost you any money.

By using Mind Map Software, you will become free to experiment with creating Mind Maps. Revisit our article on the Mind Map Principles before you start though, as it is so easy to start Mind Mapping with Xmind. Many people skip this step and end up having to unlearn bad habits later. Get it right, first time.

Step 3 – Accept, Apply, Adapt

Have a look at the Mind Map examples on our Website and other websites. Try to reproduce them exactly in your Mind Maps. Do they need to be reworked? Can you structure your Mind Maps better than ours? Can you personalise the Mind Maps?

Once you have copied ours and applied them in your life, you will be ready to adapt them for your own use. Send us your efforts and we will gladly publish them, so that you can share them with the world.

MindMapTutors – A special promotion just for you.

I am taking this opportunity to tell you about an exciting happening that is coming down the line. We are developing a set of MindMapTutors that you can use immediately to help you become a Mind Mapper. And if you are already a Mind Mapper, we will help you become an even better one.

We are busy developing a set of interactive MindMapTutors using Xmind, for you to use and adapt as you see fit. The first one to be published will be based on our Learning Management Program.

The Mind Maps will be fully interactive and will combine Mind Maps and text, to get you into Mind Mapping as quickly and effectively as possible.

You will use our method to learn our method!

If you have purchased our Ebook, you will automatically get these MindMapTutors free once they have been developed. So get it now, before it’s too late.

We plan to launch this concept by the end of June 2010. Any purchaser of our Learning Management Program Ebook by then will automatically get these MindMapTutors free.

We are offering this as a launch special for this one time only. The Interactive MindMapTutors will sell for much more.

Conclusion

Revisit the way you learn. Ensure that you follow a structured program when learning, so that you can learn the most, with least amount of effort.

Download Xmind and start Mind Mapping. First reproduce our examples, then apply and modify them.

To really take your Mind Mapping and learning to the next level, purchase our Learning Management Program Ebook and get our Interactive, Xmind MindMapTutors at no cost at the end of the month.

I’ve had a few comments about the last few articles being a bit too academic. Words like taxonomy, cognitive, psychomotor, etc. don’t roll easily off the tongue.

I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible and to paraphrase the great Einstein, ‘I’ve tried to make it simple enough, but not too simple‘.

I will nevertheless publish an article summarising all of this next week in one simple to read article. I am putting together a Mind Map of the article at the moment and hope that all the principles of the three domains can be reflected clearly in that article. I have not written the article yet and may be setting myself up for failure, but let’s wait until it’s published…

The Psychomotor Domain explained

The Psychomotor Domain mainly covers the acquiring of a physical skill like manipulating a tool or instrument, but it can be applied to the learning of any skill, including art, music, sport and Mind Mapping.

Bloom did not develop categories in this Domain, as he did in the Associative and Cognitive Domains.

Other academics did however do that.

Current Theories

The theories below are academic studies of the Pshychomotor Domain. Each of them are divided into categories like Bloom did with the Associative Domain and the Cognitive Domain. The categories and the website link below are included in case you want to explore the subject further.

Simpson (1972)

• Perception
• Set
• Guided Response
• Mechanism
• Complex Overt Response
• Adaptation
• Origination

Dave (1970)

• Imitation
• Manipulation
• Precision
• Articulation
• Naturalization

Harrow (1972)

• Reflex movements
• Basic fundamental movement
• Perceptual
• Physical activities
• Skilled movements
• Non-discursive communication

These theories are nicely summarized on this website: Psychomotor Taxonomy Summary.

After reading many of the theories, I felt that there had to be simpler, practical approach to the subject. Once again, Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Maps, came to my rescue. After many hours researching this topic and reading through reams of theories, I’ve decided to use three main sources for this article. The first one is the Mind Map Book of Tony Buzan and the second one is Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell.

The third one is my understanding based on personal research and use of the theory.

Understanding the Psychomotor Domain using the three A’s

In the Mind Map book, Tony Buzan describes how ancient Eastern masters developed students. They received only three basic instructions: ‘obey’, ‘cooperate’ and ‘diverge’.

The student started with complete submission to the will of the master and obeyed all instructions without questioning. The aim was to imitate the master as accurately as possible, only asking for clarification where necessary.

This was followed by cooperation whereby the student could consolidate and integrate the information by asking appropriate questions. The student would also assist the master in analysis and creation.

Finally, the student will diverge after learning everything the master could teach. The student will then honour the master by continuing the traditional of further development, often leading to new ways of doing things.

When it comes to Mind Mapping, Tony Buzan recommends that you follow the three A’s:

• Accept
• Apply
• Adapt

Accept
Set aside any preconceptions you may have about your mental limitations. Follow the Mind Mapping laws exactly. Imitate the models given as precisely as you can. You can learn to Mind Map by example by looking at the Mind Maps of others. We provide lots of free examples on UsingMindMaps.com.

Apply
After basic Mind Mapping training, Tony Buzan recommends that you do at least 100 Mind Maps based on what you have learned. We recommend that you follow the Mind Map Principles and the Seven Steps in creating a Mind Map. You may even want to put this together in a holistic Learning Management Program.

In the process of doing this, you will start developing your own Mind Mapping style. By experimenting with Mind Maps in your Personal life, at work, in business, or in your learning, you will start realising what works well for you and what doesn’t.

Adapt
After doing 100 pure Mind Maps, you can start experimenting with ways of adapting your Mind Maps. Feel free to experiment, but keep the basic principles in mind. If you break any of the principles, at least know the reasons why. In that way you can rest assured that you will be able to defend your position and use it with confidence.

We are very keen to hear about your Mind Mapping experiences. Let us know your experiences by commenting on our blog or submitting your story on our Website. We will publish your story and give you recognition for the story!

Practice makes perfect

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book ‘Outliers’, tells us of a case study involving violinists. Violinists were evaluated at various stages of their life. All of them were recognised as having above average talent at age five. Yet, by the time they reached twenty, it was very evident who was going on to play professionally and who was just going to do it as a hobby, or teach at a government school.

The difference, he noted, was the amount of hours they spent single mindedly trying to improve their playing. By the time they reached 20, the top performers had put in over 10,000 hours of practice, while the poorer performers only put in about 4,000 hours.

There was very little that differentiated the top from the bottom performers. The main differentiator was the amount of time they spent practising!

You can also become a good Mind Mapper if you start Mind Mapping today and do the recommended 100 Mind Maps. You can also grow your Mind Mapping Skills by looking at good examples, but nothing beats doing it yourself.

Remember that the principle applies to learning any skill. Set aside time on a daily basis to practice the skill that you want to learn. An hour a day for thirty days is better than 5 hours once a week when learning a skill.

Conclusion

While there are many complex academic theories on the Psychomotor Domain, I am suggesting a simple approach of Accept, Apply and Adapt to increase your skills in any field. First find a good mentor, accept what they are saying and then apply it for a sufficiently long period of time.

Only once you’ve done this, should you adapt the principles to suit your needs.

We provide you the Mind Map mentorship you need on UsingMindMaps.com. The site is still young and growing. So bookmark it, subscribe to our RSS feed, or sign up for our monthly newsletter to grow your Mind Mapping skills. We’ll even throw in some free offers!

Bloom’s Taxonomy is the most well-known for the work done in the Cognitive Domain. This is second domain covered in the four part Bloom’s Taxonomy series. The first domain, the Affective Domain, was covered last week and next week I will be covering the Psychomotor Domain.

Skills in the cognitive domain revolve around knowledge, comprehension, and critical thinking of a particular topic. Traditional education tends to emphasize the skills in this domain, particularly the lower-order objectives.

According to Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia, a great mythology has grown around the Taxonomy. I hope this article will take away some of the mysticism around the topic by reducing the principles to simple examples and seeing them holistically in a Mind Map.

The categories in the Cognitive Domain go from the lowest order to the highest order of human thinking. Many believe that each step must be mastered before you can move on to the next step. The jury is still out on this one.

I believe that by Using Mind Maps you naturally explore and apply each of the categories in this domain.

I will also tie each of the levels into Mind Mapping by using the Mind Map Principles  and the seven steps in creating a Mind Map as a case study.

1. Knowledge

The knowledge category simply applies to the ability to recall what has been learned. The recall of dates, information, facts and even concepts is seen as a lower order skill.

Traditional education has mostly focused on the ability to recall information, but in recent years most countries’ education systems have moved to something that resembles Bloom’s taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain.

What must not be forgotten when ‘moving up the ladder’ is that the ability to recall information is the foundation upon which the other categories are built. A common error is to move onto the higher levels without first mastering the ability to recall information. This is particularly dangerous if this step is skipped in the formative years of a child’s life.

Example:
List the Mind Map Principles and the seven steps in creating a Mind Map.

2. Comprehension

You should be able to demonstrate your understanding of the subject matter. This is best done by explaining in your own words, or comparing to something else.

Example:
Explain the Mind Mapping Principles in your own words. Compare the Mind Mapping principles to the Seven Steps in creating a Mind Map.

3. Application

Applying what you have learnt in a new situation or in solving a problem.

Example:
Create a Mind Map summary of a book, or chapter of a book, using the Mind Map Principles and the Seven Steps in creating a Mind Map.

4. Analyze

Breaking up the information into parts, comparing, questioning and analyzing. Distinguish between facts and inferences.

Example:
Rank the Mind Map principles in order of importance with reasons, based on the relative benefit of each principle. Which benefits are absolutely necessary and why? Which are not necessary and why not?

5. Synthesis

Combining the elements learned and perhaps forming a new pattern, new meaning or new structure.

Example:
Use the Seven Steps in creating a Mind Map to combine various sources into one cohesive Mind Map, while blending the thoughts of the original authors with that of your own.

6. Evaluation

Judge the value of what you have learned, defend the principles and choose the best option when applying the principles. Evaluate whether you should use the new found knowledge in a situation, or whether you old know would suffice.

Example:
Decide which steps or principles your are going to use or discard when creating a Mind Map. Introduce your own principles where necessary. Combine linear notes with Mind Maps when taking notes.

Conclusion

Mind Maps naturally allow you use each of these thinking skills when learning or thinking. A Mind Map enables you to see the big picture as well as the individual parts. The branches naturally allow you to easily compare one branch to another. You can easily combine your own thoughts with that of the original author and you can easily generate new thoughts or solve problems by using Mind Maps.

We have put together a Learning Management Program that utilizes Mind Maps and therefore Bloom’s taxonomy in the delivery of the material and your practical application of the material. You first learn the knowledge and skills and then you apply it before you adapt it to your own needs.

I hope that this brief introduction to the Cognitive Domain encourages you to read further on the subject.

As stated in the previous article on Bloom’s Taxonomy, the acronym KSA (Knowledge, Skill, Attitude) is often used to remember Bloom’s Taxonomy. The affective domain is represented by ‘attitude‘ in the acronym. This is not entirely true, as it involves far more than just attitude.

I believe that affective domain is the foundation on which learning is based and I am therefore covering it first.

The affective domain can be divided into five categories, each building on the previous one. The characteristics are also arranged from the most simplest to the most complex.

Receiving

Receiving can be summarized by the key words awareness, listening and paying attention.

It starts with being aware of the fact that you have to ‘receive‘ the information in order to learn it. You must be willing to listen and pay selective attention to what is being learned.

Without this, you cannot even embark on the learning process. All learning comes to a standstill. It is therefore the foundation for all learning.

The willingness of a learner to receive knowledge is largely governed by attitude. This is probably why attitude often becomes the overriding Key Word of this learning domain.

Once you are aware of the fact that you must learn, you must still listen and pay attention if you are being taught by someone.

If you are doing self study, you have to motivate yourself to pay attention when receiving the information, which may be the reading of the subject matter.

Examples:

• Listen to others with respect.
• Listen for and remember the name of newly introduced people.
• Read with with intent.

Responding

The next step in the learning process is responding by active participation. Learning cannot be a static one way process. If you simply sit in the class and listen passively, minimum learning will take place.

You have to react to what the teacher, lecturer, or writer is saying and start applying and practising the new principles.

Examples:

• Participate in class discussions.
• Give a presentation.
• Questions new ideals, concepts, models, etc. in order to fully understand them.
• Know the safety rules and practices them.

Valuing

This is the worth or value that you attach to what you are learning. It starts by simple acceptance of the fact and ends with the more complex state of commitment.

If you have internalized what you have learnt based on your own set of values, deeper learning would have taken place.

This will become evident in your behaviour and is often identifiable by others.

You can then use this new found learning to solve problems and propose solutions. You will feel strongly about the subject and therefore apply your knowledge with commitment.

If, for example, you’ve become sensitive to cultural diversity during your learning. You become a spokesperson in your company to promote cultural diversity. You start influencing company and policy procedures regarding cultural diversity, etc., etc.

Examples:

• Demonstrating belief in the democratic process.
• Valuing diversity.
• Showing the ability to solve problems.
• Proposing a plan for social improvement and following through with commitment.
• Informing management on matters that you feel strongly about.

Organizing

This is evident by contrasting different values, solving conflict between them and creating your own unique value system.

It is based on comparing, relating and synthesizing these values.

You will have to prioritize the values based on practicality and your desire.

Examples:

• Recognizing the need for balance between freedom and responsible behaviour.
• Accepting responsibility for your own behaviour.
• Explaining the role of systematic planning in solving problems.
• Accepting professional ethical standards.
• Creating a life plan in harmony with abilities, interests, and beliefs.
• Prioritizing time effectively to meet the needs of the organization, family, and self.

Characterizing

This is when your value system controls your behaviour. Your character is guided by your value system. Your behaviour becomes consistent and predictable. It becomes characteristic of you as a person and determines how you react personally, socially and emotionally.

Examples:

• Show self-reliance when working independently.
• Cooperate in group activities.
• Displays good teamwork.
• Uses an objective approach when solving problems.
• Display a professional commitment to ethical practice on a daily basis.
• Revise judgements and change behaviour in light of new evidence.
• Value people for what they are, not how they look.

Conclusion

The affective domain of Bloom’s taxonomy is the foundation for the cognitive and psychomotor domains. It enables you to take your learning from basic passive reception to internalised characterization.

I believe that Mind Maps naturally allow you to do this. By simply constructing a Mind Map of any topic, you naturally incorporate these principles, but by knowing the principles and applying them when doing your Mind Map notes, you can wilfully apply the different levels of learning in your learning process.

Continue to explore the different uses of Mind Maps in your everyday life. This will ensure that the depth and width of your knowledge naturally increases.

By having a learning management program, you can also ensure that your learning is well structured and well managed.

Next article: Bloom’s Taxonomy – Mind Map of the Cognitive Domain.

Nothing is further from the truth!

When you look at the life of Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map, you will quickly see that the man is a genius. And that was BEFORE he even invented Mind Mapping.

He was the editor of the International journal of MENSA from 1968-1971. In case you don’t know it, MENSA is the ‘Hight IQ Society’.

From the Mensa website:

‘…Membership of Mensa is open to persons who have attained a score within the upper two percent of the general population on an approved intelligence test that has been properly administered and supervised…’

He has also authored, or co-authored, more than 95 books on the brain.

He has founded the Mind Sports Olympiad, the ‘brain Olympics’.

He is a consultant to multinational companies, academic institutions and governments.

Looking at his credentials inspired me to get involved in Mind Mapping. It naturally inspired and motivated me to not only use it everywhere in my daily life, it also inspired me to talk and write about Mind Mapping.

Yet I find it to be doing the exact opposite for many. His genius is a ‘put off’ for people, who see themselves as ordinary people, and who may even view themselves as underachievers.

It is in response to this that I started to write and speak about Mind Mapping.

I left high school with a pretty average result. I am not a member of Mensa. I do not consult to international multinationals, academic institutions, or governments, (yet).

Yet, I believe that Mind Mapping has helped me become successful and reach my full potential.

It has helped me to get a Postgraduate Education, plan and set up websites, write about Mind Maps, learning and the brain, teach using Mind Maps, Project Manage, speak in forums, design systems, manage people, solve problems and much more…

I’ve started another website, UsingMindMaps.com, which I envisage to grow into an authoritative Mind Mapping resource that is easy to navigate and understand. You can even leave your own experiences of Mind Mapping on the website. Go ahead, let the world know of your experiences with Mind Maps. Don’t be afraid of whether you can write well or not. We will even edit your story, while ensuring that you still get the credit and that it remains your idea.

The crazy thing about all of this, is that my love for Mind Mapping soon became my favourite hobby. I can even go a step further, and state that my hobby is the wonderful brain.

I started writing this article at 5:30 am. on a Saturday morning. (Perhaps I’ve become a bit obsessive!)

I could not do this, if Mind Mapping did not give me an abundance of benefits, untold competitive advantages and lots of pleasure.

There seems to be a need for an ‘ordinary’ person like myself promoting Mind Mapping. There are many geniuses out there promoting Mind Mapping. I am not one of them, yet I hope you can learn as much (or maybe more) from me, as you can from them.

You too can benefit from Mind Mapping, whether you are an overachiever, an underachiever or just an average achiever.

Mind Maps will help you achieve your full potential, because you will be using the full cortical skills of your brain. By combining both your linear, logical brain and your creative, artistic brain, you will soon start to perform on the same level as many geniuses.

Your achievements could quite easily match those with High IQ’s.

In other words, the genius can be awakened in you.

If you haven’t used Mind Mapping before, I suggest you explore the articles on UsingMindMaps.com where can get access to lots of free articles, enrol for the newsletter, get access to some free training and even publish your own story on using Mind Maps in your daily life.

The value of involving the whole brain by the use of colours, structure and Key Words in the creation of the Mind Map often gets mentioned.

The fact that a ‘picture is worth a thousand words‘ has become synonymous with Mind Maps.

The two factors that greatly stimulate memory, association and hierarchy, naturally occur in a Mind Map.

Yet, today, I would like you to explore the value of the process of creating a Mind Map and not just the value of the finished product.

There are many approaches to creating a Mind Map, but I will suggest one way in this article by which you can get value in the process and not only in the finished product.

1. Acquire the information

The first step should be acquiring of the information. You have to look at the various sources that you need for the content of your Mind Map.

By scanning the source information you get an idea of what you are up against. Your brain begins to organise the material into logical chunks.

If you have a single source such as a text book, you can have a look at the article on Mind Mapping a text book.

If you are using more than one source, you have to get an idea of how you are going to integrate the information into a single Mind Map.

2. Search out the meaning

It is very difficult to remember what you don’t understand. While understanding is not imperative for remembering, it goes a long way in helping you remember, as the new material can form links with your existing knowledge. The brain will naturally associate anything new with what is already there.

One of the main pedagogical principles is taking learners from the known to the unknown.

While it is important to understand the material, understanding does not always equate to remembering. You could have understood something when you read it, or when the teacher or lecturer explained it, and still forget it.

3. Trigger the memory

When creating your Mind Map, choose Key Words that will trigger the recall of the information. Creative Key Words can often lead your brain down an incorrect path that does not trigger recall accurately.

By seeking out the Key Words that will trigger the correct recall, your brain is building a solid memory map.

By associating Key Ideas to other ideas, you naturally create the associations and hierarchies so important in the recall of information.

3. Complete the Mind Map

If you have applied these principles when creating your Mind Map, you will already have a lot of the information in memory.

By completing your Mind Map using the Mind Map principles, you will have non-linear colourful notes that work with the brain and not against it, but as you can see from the above the value is as much in the process as it is in the final product.

4. Exhibit what you know

Most people spend a lot of time putting information ‘into their heads’, but very little time ‘getting it out’. You have to exhibit to yourself that you remember what you’ve put in.

A Mind Map is great for this, because you can spend five to ten minutes drawing a Mind Map of the material during the revise phase, before you start revising.

This will force the brain to get used to recalling information. You will soon find yourself recalling the information with greater and greater ease.

Don’t ignore the revision part of the process. It could turn out to be the most valuable part of the whole process!

I hope you now understand that the benefits of Mind Mapping lies in the very process of creating a Mind Map. The process involves the whole brain and ensures that you get the best possible results from your wonderful brain.

Today, I would like to position the reason for setting up UsingMindMaps.com.

MindMapTutor.com is a blog, which is the final resting ground of my weekly articles. My steadily growing subscriber base can go to MindMapTutor.com for archives of older postings.

While this has served me, and my subscriber base, very well, it is not the easiest site to navigate. The current highlights and featured articles are easy to get to, but older articles were not very easy to access.

I get numerous emails and questions about topics that I’ve already written about. I often point people to the article on MindMapTutor.com and also inform them that the site has a very good search function. While this helps you after the fact, the site does not allow you to find articles on the topic you want easily in the first place.

I therefore decided to set up a website that makes it simple, easy and fast to get to the relevant topics. The site UsingMindMaps.com will cover the various uses of Mind Maps in your daily life, each with its own easy to find category. The site has a simple menu structure, with menu items on the left hand side. The articles are listed right there, under the categories, for ease of access.

The articles have also been structured to lead you through the topic at hand and also link you to overlapping topics in a natural, flowing way.

The site’s theme is Using Mind Maps, which structures information into the various uses and applications of Mind Maps in your daily life.

While Mind Maps started out as a memory tool, its natural use of both the structured and creative components of the brain gave rise to its application in many walks of life. UsingMindMaps.com will cover each of these aspects.

UsingMindMaps.com is in its early stages, but from the initial feedback, it’s looking good. People tend to spend more time on the site, as they can easily follow the topics of their choice.

Please have a look at UsingMindMaps.com and use the Contact Form to give feedback. Tell us what you would like to see.

We even have a place for you to tell us your stories of Using Mind Maps in your daily life. If you have a good story to tell let us know and we will publish it. You too could have your say!

UsingMindMaps.com has been more work than I initially thought it would be, but I believe it will add even more value to your life than MindMapTutor.com has.

Look out for some freebies coming your way as part of the launch. We are putting together a monthly newsletter, a free email course, ebook downloads and online training.

You will get an email sometime this week about the newsletter and the free stuff.

I look forward to your responses and your stories…

What does Google have to do with Key Words?

It is interesting to see how a company like Google latched onto the idea and now use it in their marketing, tools and business model.

In case you wondered how Google makes money when they give away the best search engine for free, they do this by selling advertising space.

If you want to place an advert on Google’s Adwords, you first need to decide what market you want to target. Google uses Key Words to help you decide what words to use in your adverts. By understanding the Key Words that people search on, you will be able to place a better advert and reduce your advertising budget. Your advert will target the correct people, as they are searching for the Key Words that you are paying Google for. This is what niche advertising is all about.

It is amazing how thousands of searches on Google for a particular topic all contain the same Key Words. This shows how the brain actually works when categorising information. It reduces whole thought patterns into a number of simple Key Words. The top Key Words therefore cost the most money.

As a user of Google, the better you understand Key Words, the better results your searches will yield. If advertisers, Web designers and Bloggers are all targeting Key Words, wouldn’t it therefore be wise for you to also search by Key Words? Having the correct Key Words can save you hours of search time to get to the right information.

Key Words and Mind Maps

While Google uses Key Words to help people build a marketing campaign, Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map, tells us to use Key Words when creating our Mind Maps.

Most sentences contain many words not required for understanding or recall. The words are there for proper sentence construction and to make the written word ‘flow’ so that it can be read more easily. But once you have read the information and you want to record the information for later recall, normal sentence construction is actually a hindrance rather than a benefit.

Paragraph Structure

When constructing notes or Mind Maps for later recall, understanding paragraph structure is a good idea.

Most paragraphs can be broken down into a main, and often, a secondary idea. Once you have the main and secondary idea for the paragraph, you can reduce it into Main Key Words and Secondary Key Words. In the beginning, this will often be a Main Key Word Phrase and Secondary Key Word Phrase.

I’ve found this to be more difficult than it looks. We have been using full sentences in our notes for so long, that it is quite difficult for us to change. In my article on Mind Map Principles, I state that Tony Buzan’s ‘one word per line’, is the rule I break most often when Mind Mapping.

How to choose Key Words

In ‘Use your Head’, Tony Buzan advises you to choose good Recall Key Words. He differentiates between Key Creative Words and Key Recall Words.

Key Creative Words are what he calls ‘evocative‘. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary describes evocative as ‘evoking or tending to evoke an especially emotional response’. While the Key Creative Words trigger imaginative responses, it does not help with recall.

If you were to pick up a Mind Map with only Key Creative Words a few months later, you will find that you can build a completely different story to the original one. In fact, you won’t be able to recall the original from the Mind Map even if you wanted to.

To solve this problem, you need to use Key Recall Words. Key Recall Words are words that trigger recall of the original concept or idea. It funnels back the original images and thoughts once triggered. These words tend to be a Strong Noun or Strong Verb. They are sometimes supported by additional Key Adjectives or Adverbs.

According to Tony Buzan in ‘Use your Head’, Standard Notes have the following problems when compared to a Mind Map with Key Words:

• Time is wasted recording words that have no bearing on memory. (estimated time wasted – 90%)
• Time is wasted re-reading the same unnecessary words. (estimated time wasted – 90%)
• Time is wasted searching for Key Recall Words.
• The connection between Key Recall Words are interrupted by words that separate them.
• Key Recall Words are separated by time. It often takes a few seconds to get from one to the next.
• Key Recall Words are separated by space by their distance from each other on the page.

My experience with Key Words

I’ll end this week’s article with my experience of Key Words, as I feel it has some bearing on your ability to apply the above.

My experience is based on teaching people how to take proper Mind Map notes and also by producing Mind Maps for others to use without my help.

I found that my normal, Key Word, one-word-per-branch Mind Maps were often unreadable by another person without my help. If I took the person through the Mind Map and explained each branch to them, they would understand it at the time, but a few months later, they could not understand the Mind Map.

The problem obviously lies with me. Even though I’ve been using Mind Maps for about twenty years, I still do not always choose good strong Key Recall Words when Mind Mapping.

I do a lot of writing, as you can see, and also create a lot of Mind Maps. Often, not enough thought is given to the Key Words to ensure that they will trigger the correct recall. To overcome this, I tend to use more supporting words in addition to the strong nouns and verbs that serve as my main Key Recall Words.

I’ve found these Mind Maps to be more ‘reader friendly’, as they have more of a supporting structure for reading. I often tell students, like I am telling you now, to redo the Mind Map in their own words and summarise my Mind Map into Key Recall Words of their own choosing.

Doing this will ensure that you will be able to recall the material much better and also allow you to personalise it with your own thoughts and ideas. That is when real learning takes place.

So, to sum up, learning how to summarise using Key Recall Words will not only save you time, it will also enable you to create Mind Map Memory Maps that trigger recall perfectly.