Freemium POPPLET provides a comprehensive set of tools for creative collaboration through mind-mapping. Available on iPad and web, Popplet differentiates itself from any number of mind-mapping tools on the market with the ability to share and collaborate (Think Wallwisher with connecting lines). Each node can accommodate text, sketching, YouTube videos, or images from Facebook and Flickr. The real value-add, however, comes from the in-app search feature for YouTube videos and Flickr images which makes copying and pasting across browser tabs a pain of the past. We also found the time warp feature pretty slick. Press play and you'll see a time-lapse animation of every node that was created, who created it, and how it was connected -- quite useful for evaluating the collaborative process in student group work. The free version gets you 5 unlimited Popplets per month. Group subscriptions start at $2/student for unlimited access. Tip o' the hat to Cathleen Ash and Renee Setser of Manor ISD.
