Blog Post 5: Popplet

https://www.popplet.com/

        This blog entry is about Popplet, a tool of my own interest found on the TLC: L1- Learning through Information Processing resource list. Popplet is a mind-mapping and graphic organizing tool that allows teachers and students to create visual and interactive ways of organizing information. It is a free tool that allows you to make organizers and share them with others via email, which allows them to edit and collaborate on it. You have the ability to create new idea bubbles, or "popples", connect them, and upload text, pictures, links, videos, and draw pictures into the popples. It allows anyone who the popplet has been shared with to edit, as well as displays name badges to show who created which popples. 

        For ease of use, Popplet is very simple. It only has basic features, which makes it very easy to use. Creating new popples connected to the origin just requires clicking, and they can be moved around easily. A menu is very navigable, and all the popplets you have previously created appear in your home menu. It is also easy to access other people's that they have shared with you, as there is a file specifically for that on the home menu.

  

    For versatility, Popplet is pretty basic. It is not much different than other mind mapping sites, but I do like that you are able to share your popplets with other people. In addition, you can upload all sorts of different forms of media into your people bubbles, which gives it a step above other mind-mapping tools. This ability to upload pictures, links, videos, and more made me think about how I can use this website in the TLC Framework for learning. Mind mapping can help students process information deeper, and Popplet's sharing features make it so students can work collaboratively. Both these are aspects of learning in the TLC Framework. However, you cannot create lines to connect already-made popples, and you cannot save the popplets you make anywhere but the popplet site. I think this is a downside when it comes to versatility. 

        For the overall likelihood of me using this in my classroom, I'd say it's right in the middle. If I ever did want to use a collaborative mind-mapping tool with my students, I'd definitely look to Popplet first. But for just general everyday use, Popplet probably won't be a tool I break out often.