PD. Sem 2: Session 4. Coggle
What is Coggle?
Coggle is a free online brainstorming/ mind-mapping tool that can be used individually or collaboratively, synchronously. This means that your learners can connect and work together over the internet on a task. Each person contributing, commenting and collaborating in real time via the chat function.
Coggle is also part of Google and therefore allows you to join up and sign in with your Google gmail address and password........ and use all the other Google tools.
Why do I like it?
I have used a number of free online brainstorming / mindmapping tools. I especially like Coggle because you can include images and you have the chat window on the side allowing the work to be collaborative and synchronous. The basic version of Coggle is free and to date I haven't needed to upgrade to a paying version.
Another of my favourite brainstorming / mindmapping tools is bubbl us.
How would I use Coggle in the classroom?
Road mapping and planning for essays. Individually
How do you use it?
You need to create an account. Go to https://coggle.it or click here or put Coggle into a search.
Click on + Sign up now
If you have a Google account enter your Gmail email, click next and then log in with your Gmail password.
(If you don't have Gmail or a Google account you would need to create that first.)
Once you are logged in Coggle will direct you through to a window that states that: Coggle wants to View your email address and your basic profile. Click allow. You can change this later if you like.
Next window that appears offers you options for a plan. Click on Free Plan.
Now click on the + Create Diagram to begin.
Give your first mind map a title in the grey box that appears in the centre of the screen and press the enter key.
When you place your cursor and click on the tips/ small triangles on the sides of the centre box these turn into + signs and a coloured branch extends out. At the end of the branch is a text box in which you can to write, or add a website url, or an image or an icon.
Sometimes you may see the words click to edit, which you can click in to
write or add the url or image or icon. If you right hand mouse click on the a wheel will appear with a number of tools.
Explore these tools. Useful ones may include the option to delete unwanted text boxes, change the colour of your branch line, or drag to show links, linking ideas which creates the - - - - - between ideas.
Other tools.
On the top right hand side of your screen are some additional tools.
Chat. By clicking on the speech marks the chat window will open. To chat and collaborate synchronously with friends and colleagues you need to invite them by email and share you Coggle with them. Click on the + sign beside your initials and fill in the email address.
Previous versions. Sometimes your friend may well delete text boxes, and or you may want to revert to a previous version of your brainstorm/ mindmap. By clicking on second tool from the right ( it looks like a clock face) this will flick up all your previous versions. Click beside any time / previous version and you will see the screen change back to what was created at that time. You can toggle between screens or just click on a previous screen and go from there again
Downloading as a PDF. The tools along the top of the screen offer various options. You can save your Coggle as a pdf to share with others.
Other options. By using the snipping tool you can take a jpg of your Coggle to use in many other ways.
