The Moss-Free Stone

Graphic organizers are a proven tool in teaching/learning. Organizers such as Venn diagrams, mind-maps, semantic webs, flow-charts, KWL charts, etc. allow students to visualize difficult concepts, arrange ideas in an orderly manner, make learned concepts more concrete, and more. They are a proven means of improving student performance. They are valuable to all learners, but are particularly important to learners who struggle with traditional instruction and “book learning.” My students have made extensive use of graphic organizers as a means to activate prior knowledge, to plan and organize writing projects, and as summative assessment tools. The most popular software tool for creating graphic organizers in our area is undoubtedly Inspiration (and it’s primary counterpart, Kidspiration). This is a fantastic program–easy to use, colorful, customizable, lots of templates, etc. The effectiveness and quality of Inspiration software is the measuring stick by which I evaluated a free, online tool for creating graphic organizers, Gliffy.

Overview

To begin, registration is very easy–simply supply a valid email address and password. A confirmation email will be sent, and a confirmation link has to be clicked in the email if projects are to be collaborative. You are now ready to get creative!

The interface of this Flash-based application is easy enough to learn. Stacked panels on the left offer various types of graphics, which can be used to create projects from flowcharts to webs to floor plans. A graphic is added to the workspace by clicking and dragging.

The toolbar at the top of the screen includes standard file and edit commands, collaboration options, text box and drawing tools (elipse, rectangle, lines, connectors, etc.), and layering tools. The right panel contains specific options for the text/object currently being created/edited.

Observations

While certainly not as sophisticated as Inspiration at this point (no custom icon libraries, simpler graphics, no outline mode, etc.), this may not be a bad thing, because Gliffy is easily learned. The diagram in the picture above was created quickly and easily on my first visit to the site (View here). Students would have very little difficulty mastering the basics of the interface. Files can be exported in 3 formats (SVG, JPEG, PNG) to be used in other applications. A revision history in the right panel offers teachers the opportunity to monitor student participation/progress.