White board software

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Posted by MadaboutDana
Jun 27, 2013 at 09:24 PM

Of course if you were using a Mac you could use Numbers, which is a truly brilliant whiteboard app (yes, I know it’s supposed to be a spreadsheet, but I can honestly say I’ve never yet used it for calculating anything!). For digitised input, you could always use the iPad version (produces very nice PDFs).

Another lateral-thinking option would be TreeSheets (on PC, Mac and Linux), which isn’t exactly a whiteboard but could be used as one, kind of.

Just a thought!
Bill

Posted by Dr Andus
Jun 28, 2013 at 12:02 AM

JerryNotts wrote:
>Can I ask Graham whether, now that 6 months have passed, he has actually
>used Think Composer?

Hi JerryNotts - welcome to the forum. I haven’t looked at Think Composer since its beta stage, so I’d be interested in hearing about it more, as it looks like it had a few more updates in the past year or so.

>I am going to give it a try since I need a method of illustration to
>others (individuals, not classes) of how various EU Regulations and
>their national implementations and their guidance actually work and
>interlink.
> >As you may gather I am attempting to produce a straightforward
>illustration of the main principles and link to the detail. Most
>software only allows for a level of abstraction without such detail as
>the penalty for certain offences.
>Currently I keep all the originals as PDFs under various categories on
>my PC.

My question would be whether your needs are to produce something quickly (brainstorming, concept development) or to make something look good (presentational purposes), as for me those are two different categories of software (although if one puts the time in, possibly the first category can also produce decent visuals).

In the first one I would put VUE, CmapTools etc., in the second category I’d put SmartDraw and the likes. SmartDraw can be expensive the first time, though they do have offers fairly regularly, and once you’re on the bandwagon, the upgrades get cheaper (though I stopped with v. 2012).

Anyway, since SmartDraw 2012 they have some more advanced functions for presenting complex information, such as “information hubs” or “visual gateways.” Here is some more info on this:
http://www.smartdraw.com/solutions/information-access.htm

Posted by JerryNotts
Jun 28, 2013 at 12:16 PM

Thanks to the 2 responders.

I have looked through all the software that seems appropriate.

Although Connected Text is very good for storing and commenting on the information I am gleaning I had thought that a visual description would assist the individuals I am trying to coach.

I suppose this is a teaching exercise really, without the power to direct the students as might happen at uni. Their motivation is to obey the law. It’s important that the significant points and the detailed relationships.are grasped quickly. There is not mush room for debate.(except for whether the UK should be in the EU or not)

I realise that I probably need to set out what I have dubbed ‘The route to compliance’ so that I can see the relationships more clearly for myself.

There is little or no creative element to this, except in the sense of presenting the information in an accessible way. The core texts are in the EU legal system, with guidance prepared by the Commission, which is hard work to understand as it jumps around. It doesn’t help that there are some students whose first language is not English The teaching, if that is what it is, is normally one-to-one.

The effort to devise a workable method is, to me, well worth the investment in time as well as being interesting in its own right.

Thanks again to those who have responded.

Jerry

Posted by JerryNotts
Jun 28, 2013 at 02:06 PM

Aha, The light has just dawned following the thoughts stimulated by the response.

I tried to formulate my needs in one sentence and came up with

Flowchart capable of linking to specific text.

Do I need a graphical version of CT?

I find that if you keep swapping from one bit of software to another both my flow and the attention of the ‘students’ is distracted.

I know that Visio can do this at a cost and probably a learning curve since it is some years since I last used it, but I am going to pursue Think Composer, if only I can get past the very software orientated descriptions. Why do developers seem to think that everyone shares their delight in IT Speak? (Don’t answer that question unless you feel the need; I have some very definite ideas about that.)

Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Jun 28, 2013 at 02:25 PM

JerryNotts wrote:
>Flowchart capable of linking to specific text.

A couple of additional suggestions:

- If you are not going to print the diagrams, but only show them, including putting them on your institution’s portal, then TheBrain could be just what you need.

- If printing is important, most mind mapping software will fare better. However, since your diagrams will probably be more complex, Inspiration http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/concept-mapping might be the better suited.

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