Monday, March 12, 2012

Revision on Materials Engineering using a Mind Map

It is my usual practice to do a revision using mind maps that are drawn in real-time after completing my lectures on a few topics (Copper, Aluminium and Polymer) with my students. The quick summary of the material I covered enabled them to have an overview of what they have been taught and to help them in their revision of this notoriously boring module (especially, if the student does not have any interests in memorising the properties of materials).



Above two revision mind maps are essentially the same. Each is done for a different class. It is tiring, however, I find it interesting as it allows me the flexibility of going through the subject at a pace suitable for the class. Hope it helps you to see the power of performing real-time mind mapping. You could literally feel the whole class "eye-balls" were following each stroke of the branches connected, each key word written and every diagram drawn. It is a challenge that I find exciting to share with my students.
Some of you may think, it is difficult. However, through proper training, one can overcome these obstacles and eventually be a captivating presenter using mind maps. Enjoy please.

The week beginning 2 December 2012 saw myself completing another two revision mind maps covering Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of Engineering Materials topics for my first year engineering students.


I needed two white boards as shown above to cover about 70-80% of the revision materials in those three chapters within the time constraint of about 1.5hrs. It was considered quite an achievement as I believe it helped the students consolidate what they have learnt during the past seven weeks before their common test on Monday, 10 Dec 2012. I foresaw the need for two medium-sized white boards when I saw the large amount of materials that need to be discussed, otherwise, a large-sized white board as shown below would suffice. It is one of the BIGGEST MIND MAP that I have ever drawn in real time. Enjoy.