Using Mind Map as Learning Tool in 'Data Structure' Teaching

Data Structure is a computer subject, which is hard to teach and learn, because it has the characteristic of various knowledge, strong theory and abstract. Therefore, we introduce mind map, the GUI-tool for knowledge organization and management into the Data Structure teaching. At first, the paper gives a formal expression to the mind map. Based on this, we propose the method to create a mind map based on iteration and the divide and conquer strategy with a practical example, and comparative learning based on mind map as well. The method does a great help to improve students' knowledge reorganizing and induction skills, and also helps students to understand knowledge better. Finally, the validity of mind map in the Data Structure learning has been verified by the empirical analysis of the students' scores between two classes, one of which use Mind map and the other does not.