Benefits of Mind Mapping

The mind mapping method of organizing and linking ideas was demonstrated by Tony Buzan. It is a common method of creating lists and hierarchies of ideas. There are many benefits to using a mind map. It is a useful tool that can be incorporated into many different tasks.
One possible benefit is that is a visual diagram that you can use to link ideas or thoughts. It is a very beneficial learning and teaching tool especially for visual learners. Actually drawing out the mind map is also helpful for kinesthetic learners. Another benefit to mind mapping is that it is quick to draw one. This can be very helpful for note taking because you are able to quickly organize information. Mind mapping can be a good tool for brainstorming sessions. It allows one to create a goal or objective in the center and then branch out with possible solutions from the center. I personally like mind mapping because you can easily show relationships and links between different ideas by drawing lines between them. Even if you have several different sub-sections/branches, one of the branches may be related to a branch all the way across the paper. In order to show that they are related, you can just draw a line between them. The mind map would also be a very good way to develop lesson plans by starting with your main topic of the day in the center and branching off in supporting ideas or events around it and ending with the details at the far end branches.
Instructional design is about incorporating all of the three learning styles into a lesson plan so that all students/trainees would be able to properly learn the materials. Mind mapping provides the ability to provide a visual element for the visual learner. If a kinesthetic student is taught now to mind map and incorporates mind mapping while taking notes, he can improve his learning also. Coupled with a spoken lecture of the mind map illustration you have now infused all three learning methods into a lesson plan.