Idea Thread Mapper (ITM) is a research-based collaborative platform that supports student-driven knowledge-building inquiry across classroom communities.
Knowledge builders can use ITM to:
- Set up a Project for each knowledge-building inquiry and add members to the project;
- Create Cross-Classroom Connections, which may include live buddy projects and archived resource projects;
- Co-structure the inquiry process by setting up Wondering Areas (core themes of inquiry) and Idea Threads (more specific problems for discussion) based on students’ interests and knowledge goals;
- Carry out collaborative dialogues in each Idea Thread, to generate and build on one another’s ideas, and reflect on their Journey of Thinking as progress is made;
- Map out different idea threads to review inquiry progress and connections, and use the Activity Radar to monitor new contributions;
- Launch Super Talk threads for cross-classroom collaboration to work on challenging problems and build cross-cutting connections.
Visit https://idea-thread.net for more information.
The development of ITM was funded by National Science Foundation through two Cyberlearning grants awarded to Dr. Jianwei Zhang and Dr. Mei-Hwa Chen at the University at Albany.