MIND MAPS AS A TEACHING RESOURCE FOR GEOGRAPHY IN SCHOOLS

In the globalized world in which society currently finds itself, information is one of the most highly valued commodities and its quantity, production and dissemination is increasingly accelerated. However, this amount of knowledge is frequently disorganized and its veracity questionable. And alongside new technologies, particularly information and communication technologies, there has been a conflict between the traditional ways of transmitting knowledge. As a result, the education system and even teachers are being compelled to update themselves to this new reality in which new skills are required in the way classes are taught in order to keep up with the easily available means of communication. In this context, hierarchical concept diagrams, also called conceptual diagrams, mind maps and other similar names with equivalent and variable characteristics, are a pedagogical proposal that has demonstrated positive results in classes taught at several levels of school, both academic and business. Developed in the mid-20th century by researchers studying the ways in which the brain processes external and internal stimuli, these diagrams are centered on cognitive processes. It suggests a synthesis of reasoning through ordered and hierarchical symbols, not only through representative words, but also through icons, images and colors that stimulate reasoning and creativity. It therefore illustrates the potential for teaching geography, which has been proven time and time again.