Using Comapping for Workshops

As much as I enjoy the power of desktop mind mapping applications and use them all of time in the work that I do, one of the tools that I am relying on more these days is Comapping, an online mind mapping collaboration tool. Comapping can be accessed from any computer and browser that is connected to the Internet and gives me the flexibility to organize my ideas, add hyperlinks as well as attachments. Comapping does a great job allowing you to share your maps when they are done and I have been taking advantage of this feature for years now when I teach my graduate courses. For each class I create an interactive agenda with Comapping and then publish it to my Moodle classroom account for all my students to access.

Recently I have done a number of workshops and needed a quick way for my participants to be able to jump from web site to web site to view the contents. Using Comapping I was able to create the agenda embed the hyperlinks which made the day go so much more smoothly for me. Publishing your Comapping maps to the web is really quite simple and easy to do and when you are done you are given a unique URL that you can then pass out to your students. Because the URL is rather long, I generally log into my Bit.ly account shorten it and customize the link so that when I get to the workshop I just have to give out the shortened URL.

Comapping is also unique in that it allows you to embed your attachments that your participants can access from the map.  In the example below you will see that I have embedded a number of Quick Reference Cards for the SOLO training I have coming up. This will make it easy for my participants to access these reference materials on the day of the training as well as when they are back in their classroom. You will also see that there are live links to the Don Johnston Website for additional support videos that can be quickly accessed from the Comapping map. Using this technique not only saves me from printing costs and paper, but models for teachers what is possible as we move from analog to a digital  materials. So interact with the Comapping map below and let me know you thoughts about using Comapping in the work that you do. If you are interested in learning how you can do this shoot me an email.

Run Flash on Your iPad with iSwifter

As much as I enjoy using my iPad-one of the few drawbacks of the iPad is its inability to play Flash. With the rapid adoption of HTML 5 it is unlikely that we will ever see Flash on the iPad. Hoverer, there are some clever solutions out there that can help you play Flash on your iPad that work well. I recently came across iSwifter for the iPad and decided to download the Lite version to give it a test run. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that iSwifter can play Flash based applications over the web which really impressed me.With iSwifter I was able to open and use Comapping quite effectively. There are some little things that didn't work exactly as they would on my laptop but having the ability to open my stored maps on the web was really fantastic. I was also able to play my Flash content that I created in Adobe Captivate and Presenter without a problem on my iPad. If you are looking to run Flash on your iPad then take a look at iSwifter and let me know how you make out.

Using Comapping for Creating a Classroom Agenda

One of the handiest tools that I use when I teach is Comapping- it has been a fantastic tool for developing the agenda for each and every class that I teach on campus. Comapping allows me to map out what I am going to cover with links and attachments that makes it very easy for my students to access and use. Once I have completed my agenda map for the classroom session, I simply Publish to Web from within Comapping and grab the embedding code that is generated. Once I have the embedding code I simply paste it into Moodle to generate the mind map. Here is an example below of a agenda map that I recently used in a class this week.

Mind Mapping in the Cloud with Comapping

As I try to move more and more of my work to the cloud I keep going back to one application time and time again and that is Comapping. Comapping is a simple and easy to use mind mapping application that runs within the browser and gives me access to my maps from anywhere that I have access to the web. I should note up front, that Comapping has really become a great way for me to share information when I am presenting or teaching my graduate courses. It is easy to place web links and attach documents to the map which then gives my students access to the information that I need to provide them.

In many ways my Comapping maps can be thought up as a way for me to transport information that I need to share with others. One of the key features of Comapping is the ability to publish the information in such a way that it is easy to re-purpose it on a wiki, Blog, Google Site, or within Moodle. I have developed a number of Comapping maps for my graduate classes that I teach which is ideal since Comapping provides me with the embed code to publish it right within Moodle. This feature alone is worth its weight in gold. Now my students have access to web resources that are just a click away or they can download PDF files that I have attached to the map. If you haven't tried Comapping I urge you to take a look at it and see how it can help you manage the information more efficiently.

Here is an example of a Comapping map that I have used for some of my presentations:

Web Summarizer Takes to the Cloud

Over the past year I have watched Context Organizer morph into a truly powerful summarization tool that is ready for the big leagues. Starting out as a standalone application, Context Discovery proved to be a powerful tool for the desktop-able to summarize URL's, PDF, Word, and PowerPoint files. When Context Discovery saw the value of being able to quickly built information maps within a mind mapping application Context Discovery developed a MindManager Add-in which has received rave reviews from it users.

Just this past year Context Organizer was integrated into Comapping which showed the versatility of Context Organizer working in the cloud and being totally platform independent. With all these steps in place Context Organizer has moved to a new dimension being able to deliver summarization in the cloud by placing these tools in the hands of businesses and corporation that need to process large amount of data. Imagine being able to analyze and summarize large amount of URL's, RSS feeds, and News feeds on your own internal server. Web Summarizer has been optimized to be able to serve your corporate data needs and we are ready to work with you. Please see the video below to get an idea of what is possible with Web Summarizer. If information is power think about how you can take advantage of Web Summarizer to get ahead of your competition!

NJECC Presentation: Reading & Writing Supports

This Tuesday, March 16th I will be presenting at the New Jersey Educational Computing Cooperative Annual Conference which is held at Montclair State University on the topic of: What's New in the Area of Reading & Writing Supports. My session is from 2:30-3:20 pm and if you are planning on attending it would be great to see you. A lot has happened this year in the field of assistive technology and in the field of technology in general which has resulted in some new and updated technologies that I'm sure you will want to find out about.

I have been busy this year publishing some new materials which can be used to support assistive technology in the schools. I recently released a new video called: Assistive Technology: Powerful Solutions for Success which is a wonderful tool for teacher in-service programs. Likewise, in this age of information overload I created a four page laminated reference guide called: Assistive Technology: What Every Educator Needs to Know, which is chock full of resources and information about the use of assistive technology in the classroom. I will have both resources available at my workshop for you to take a look at. The session will be fast paced as we delve into some of the new tools and trends to support students in the area of reading and writing in the classroom. I hope to see you there- but just in case you can't make it here is my presentation deck that I will be using.



PS: You can now purchase my video and laminated reference guides right from my blog by clicking on the individual pages on the right side of the navigation panel.

Using Context Organizer within Comapping

I have been using Context Organizer for the past year or so and was very excited to see that it is now integrated with Comapping, a web based collaborative mind mapping tool. Context Organizer can quickly pull out keywords and summarize information from URL's, Word documents, and PDF's. I have created a short video tutorial showing you how Context Organizer works within Comapping. If you like what you see go to Comapping and set a free trial account to get started.

Context Organizer is now Integrated with Comapping

Ok I will admit it- when I was in high school I would occasionally use CliffNotes to get some of my reading assignments done. I'm sure each and everyone of you has occasionally cut some corners in order to get your work done and be able to carry your load. But why did I choose to use the CliffNotes? CliffNotes, while certainly not as good as reading the whole book, was great for summarizing the material and giving me a good handle on the text even though I didn't read every single word. In the same vein, Context Organizer is a similar tool- it lets me summarize URL's, Word and PDF files and gives me the gist of the information that I am interested in.

Context Organizer is fast and efficient and allows me to determine the context of the information and provides me with keyword phrases. I have been working closely with Henry for the past couple of months as I watched our team integrate Context Organizer with Comapping. This venture was especially exciting in that Henry and his team were able to run the Context Organizer engine from the cloud. By setting up Context Organizer in the cloud we could now send information directly to Comapping and watch as it generated a map from the information. In this instance, Context Organizer can instantly create a map from URL's, Word, and PDF files attached to a branch. I guess the real "aha" moment is the creation of a knowledge map with a couple of clicks of the mouse. So you can go from a blank screen to an knowledge map within seconds. You will find it very easy to use Contexct Organizer with Comapping and if you like you can sign up for a trial of Comapping and give Context Organizer a try-you will be glad you did. The example below was created using Comapping and Context Organizer.

So when you need to get to the heart of the matter and you don't have time to read every word take a look at the combination of Comapping and Context Organizer a real dynamic duo!

Comapping: collaborative information mapping

Wallace Tait and Brian Friedlander

Web 2.0 has certainly made a significant impact on the ways we now create, manage and exchange information and knowledge. Collaboration is indeed the corner stone for real time communications within personal, academic and business arenas while using web 2.0 (Cloud) applications.

We have simply been given much more flexibility through the use of cloud computing.

Regarding Visual mapping; cloud collaboration has exponentially increased the potentials for being more effective and productive. The cloud can become a repository (Data bank) for storing and sharing much of your information and knowledge, and you also have control over who gets to access your information too. Less travelling to meet clients, your web space becomes a virtual office and classroom where you can operate, collaborate and present with ease; as long as you have web access.

There’s a recent interesting trend coming from web 2.0 visual mapping apps. They are now moving towards offering desktop versions of their apps, so desktop computing isn’t dead yet.

We were recently given access to Comapping by Michael Pliskin Director of R&D. Comapping is both a web and desktop based information management app that expresses a left to right format defined as visual mapping. The desktop application seamlessly synchronizes with the web based tool.

During the summer of 2006 Comapping was born through a joint venture between Area9 in Denmark and Lanit-Tercom in Russia. These two organizations initially developed and used Comapping as an internal organization wide communication tool. They were frustrated with limitations that traditional mind mapping software posed. Soon realizing they were not alone while facing similar limitations with incumbent mind mapping software applications; Comapping was further developed for wider commercial use.

It’s an awesome information mapping/management tool that enables you to collaborate with absolute ease, and it’s extremely fast. The developers have crafted a new and expressive category of information mapping that is independent of the Mind mapping genre. The Comap, Comapping and Comapper shall without a doubt, be definitions associated with forward thinking information management.

Using Comapping has exponentially enhanced and improved our time and project management, to the point of having more clarity that equates to monetizing other more important aspects of our consulting work. Simply put, Comapping has; and continues to transform our information management capabilities.

In our opinion Comapping has a powerful advantage over mind mapping apps, due to the left to right format and the top down logical process approach of this format. Project managers will most certainly feel comfortable with Comapping, as shall Business System managers who use the ISO 9001 standards.

The left to right format, when mapping expresses a very comfortable and logical feel to Comapping.

Asger Ottar Alstrup, CEO and Board Member of Comapping developed the unique auto-collapsing algorithm that optimizes use of often scarce computer screen real estate while mapping. The animated look to Comapping is very comfortable and pleasing to the eye. Navigation throughout a map while presenting information to colleagues and clients is one of the great strengths of Comapping.

Real time collaboration is indeed a notable strength of Comapping. You will find it easy to invite a colleague into your mind map and give them permission to read or edit your map. While collaborating on the map, you can view where your colleague is and what part of the map they are editing. You can also use a chat window to communicate during the session.

The experience of co-editing the map was fast and flawless. One of our top features of Comapping is the ability to easily publish your Comaps to you blog or web site by simply copying an embed code.

With the recent addition of the Comapping desktop application, and its strong import and export features, Comapping is a strong information mapping tool for your collaboration needs. The desktop version is a clone to the online version, enabling you to work off line when required.

Once you have created your mind map using the desktop version of Comapping you can save it to your online account and then access it through your browser. Comapping gives you lots of options if you would like to Export your mind maps to other applications.

We found the no nonsense approach to mapping information while creating, managing and exchanging relevant business information was performed with ease. The learning curve was so short; we were up and running with Comapping within 10 minutes.

Comapping is continuously being developed, therefore the user can have confidence the developers listen to the voice of the user. Expect a great future from Comapping.

The Personal, Academic and Business application of Comapping is very evident, and we encourage you to download, use and purchase this excellent information management tool. It is available in two formats; desktop and web editions. Visit www.comapping.com for more information.

Below is a Comapping map; to navigate the map, choose a topic and press the tab key

Comapping forms Alliance with, MeadWestvaco, results in MeadMap.com

FYI- I know that I had shared this with you earlier but hear is the official announcement of the partnership of Comapping and MeadWestvaco. It is very exciting to see the Web 2.0 developments and companies moving to a software as service model. I'm sure there is more to come in the educational space as NECC 2008 approaches. If you haven't yet tried out online mind mapping applications then here is your opportunity at no risk. So go to MeadMap and use the code: ASTECH01

Press Release:

Comapping has entered into a strategic product development and marketing alliance with Mead^® Consumer and Office Products (www.mead.com), a division of the Fortune 500-company MeadWestvaco, Inc. For more than 130 years, the Mead brand has been synonymous with innovative school supplies, including well-known brands like Trapper Keeper^® and Five Star^®.

For the past year or so, the Comapping team has been working day and night with a dedicated team of Mead experts in developing Comapping for academic use. The result is Mead Map - the first mind mapping application designed with college students, for students to meet their specific needs in real life application of knowledge. Currently, Comapping and Mead Map are very similar in functionality. However, as new features continue to be developed for both programs, users will notice functional differences catering to each targeted user’s needs.

As part of the Mead Map launch, the Mead team is offering a free 30-day trial at www.meadmap.com.

MeadMap License Give Away

I want to thank Omar for being so kind to give me a MeadMap code for my readers. The first 50 users can get a free 6 month subscription to MeadMap. If you haven't yet tried out online mind mapping applications then here is your opportunity at no risk. So go to MeadMap and use the code: ASTECH01

MeadMap Announced

The MeadWestvaco Corporation announced today the release of MeadMap a new online collaborative visual mapping application. To those of you who are familiar with CoMapping you will see a real similarity, since MeadMapping is based on the underlying technology found in the CoMapping application. MeadMap has the same feature set from what I can tell and they are offering a free 30 day trial so that you can try it out. Meadmap has lots of collaborative features so that you can invite others to edit and review your visual maps. You can also publish your maps to the internet or a blog by embedding the map within a page. I found Meadmap very easy to use and if you have been using CoMapping then the transition will be minimal.

Comapping

I will be doing a workshop tomorrow for a group of educators and will be presenting on how teachers can use Kurzweil 3000 in the classroom to support students with reading disabilities. I thought that it would be great to be able to present my material using a mind map. For this presentation I decided to us Comapping, a web based mind mapping application. It is small mind map but one that more easily gets my points across. Here is a link to the mind map.

Comapping Updated!

I just received an email from the Comapping Development Team that they have added a host of new features to their web based mindmapping application, CoMapping.

The Comapping development team is proud to present a new set of features, most of which we have developed in close cooperation with our customers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their constructive feedback and comments.

Below is a list of the main features and improvements made to the Comapping application:


* Create your own template maps

* Chat with collaborators

* Name your URL links

* E-mail your maps

* Export your map as an HTML webpage

* Attach a preview of maps when sharing

* New visual calendar in "Task info"

* Format multiple topics in one go

* Insert a map within a map

* New "extended subscription" plan

Web Based Mindmapping Survey

Chuck Frey who is noted for the work he has done in the area of mind mapping emailed me today to share with me that he has launched a new survey which focuses on the use of web based mind mapping applications. If you have used any of the web based mind mapping applications please take the time to complete the survey by clicking on the link below.
---------

During the last year, web-based mind mapping applications have grown significantly in their level of functionality and popularity. To better understand how people are utilizing these tools and what their potential impact is likely to be, I've decided to conduct a brief survey on this technology. This survey covers issues such as:

- Which tool offers the best functionality?
- What features matter most to you?
- What are the biggest benefits of web-based mind mapping tools?
- What are the shortcomings of this emerging technology?
- What is the future of this cool technology?
- And more!

Please take a few minutes to complete this brief, 12-question survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=y_2f0R2yPy1JeqSRO79fDCyA_3d_3d

I look forward to your thoughts and opinions!

Chuck Frey
chuck@innovationtools.com
The Mind Mapping Software Blog
http://mindmapping.typepad.com
InnovationTools

CoMapping on the Web

As a software space, mind mapping is a hot area for software development. It would seem that almost everyday there is another announcement about a new mind mapping application. Much of the software development in this area is happening with mind mapping applications that are running on servers and can be accessed using a standard browser. Just as Google has Docs & Spreadsheets running on the web, other companies are offering up their software in some cases using a subscription fee strategy.

One of the newer mind mapping applications to be served up on the Internet is comapping. Comapping is a full featured mind mapping application that feels as if you are running from you computer's hard drive. Comapping lets you create mind maps with all of the standard features you would expect. You can easily format your ideas using different icons that are supplied, attach notes, task information and hyperlinks. The library of icons is limited as compared to other applications and right now I don't see a way to add your own graphics to your mind maps. It offers some advanced features like being able to import Freemind and Mindmanager maps directly into the application. Comapping excels when you need to or want to collaborate about your mindmap. It is easy to share your mind maps by inviting someone to be able to view and edit them by simply entering their email. Once the invitee receives the email they can click on a link and have access to your mind map. One of the other nice features is being able to create a slide presentation from your mind maps. By clicking on the Advanced Tab you can select the Add Snapshot as a Slide and build a slide show from captured screen shots. This is a handy feature! There is a lot to like about comapping and if you go to their website you can set up a 30 day trial account. A 6 month subscription to comapping is $11.95