My name is Rob Bates. For the majority of my working life I worked as a teacher in Australia. Presently, I am enjoying my role as a teacher in Bahrain. Throughout my teaching career I have been very interested in discovering ways to improve student learning. It is my belief that, to create an optimum learning environment, teachers must cater for the individual learning styles of students by providing them with a rich variety of experiences that are practical, creative, vivid, colorful and exciting.

To further my knowledge about how students learn I have read many articles and books and attended a variety of courses that focus on this topic. While there are many theories and programs available, which can improve student learning, I must say that, after reading a number of Tony Buzan’s books and attending his Study Skills and Speed Reading course, I became “hooked” on the value of Mind Mapping as a learning tool. Since becoming interested in Mind Mapping I have used Mind Maps for personal and educational purposes.

Because Mind Mapping is an organic process it is difficult to know where your thoughts and ideas will take you. While drawing freehand Mind Maps allows me total creative freedom I have found that they do have their limitations, especially when I wanted to add to, or change, my Mind Map. As my artistic skills are not well developed I also found that my illustrations didn’t enhance my Mind Maps, as I would have liked. So, it was because of these reasons that I investigated the possibility of using a Mind Mapping software program. It was only when I used the iMindMap program that I found a program that duplicated, on the computer, what I was trying to achieve on paper. With the iMindMap program I was able to produce my Mind Maps quickly, making the additions, alterations and including the graphics that I required without losing the quality of my final product.

Having completed the iMindMap Accredited Master Trainer Course my aim is to share this creative thinking tool with people, particularly in the education and business sectors. As I am presently living in Bahrain and as I return to Australia, for extended visits each year, I can offer a Foundation Skills Course and the Licensed Instructor Course for interested people and organizations in both of these countries.