Improving Communication One Map at a Time

​Learning teams come in all sizes. While the large audiences have an exciting energy, small groups allow for stronger connections and more individualized attention. Large audiences make it easier for participants to opt out of being engaged, while small groups can be dominated by a strong personality or negative attitude. Both sizes have their pros and cons, and strategies that work best for adult facilitation. 
 
In a previous post, I shared some considerations for working with large audiences. Today, I want to share an app with you that can be extremely helpful when working with a small team, especially one that might be struggling to work together effectively. Equity Maps, as described on their site, is an app that helps you chart and record the interaction of group members and graphically illustrate levels of participation. It also analyzes the types of contributions made by each person. The instant analytics and animated playback can be used to engage everyone in deep reflection on team communication dynamics. 
 
Equity Maps has a $2.99 iPad version with plenty of features for up to 20 participants, as well as a premium version for $6.99. App developers are currently working on an Android version and hope to have it out in 2019. While they began with a focus on K-12 learners, the app has been used with adults in all fields.

Here's a video demonstrating Equity Maps' features as well as some screen captures.

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