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--- instructional_design:concept_mapping [2011/03/09 10:44]
jpetrovic [What is concept mapping?]
+++ instructional_design:concept_mapping [2011/03/09 14:11]
jpetrovic [What is concept mapping?]
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 For example, the //concept// "dog" is formed by a set of common characteristics of dogs. "Chihuahua", a specific kind of dog, would here be an //object//. Every person has a different "dog" concept since the set of common characteristics forming it may vary from person to person and generally depends on experience, context and perspective. Still, these concepts are usually similar enough to enable people to successfully communicate and think in terms of concepts and change them over time.
-Concepts maps were first meant to be used in science education. Today they are used in other areas as well, as they can help both teachers and students. Concepts maps help a teacher **identify and organize concepts** he is about **to teach**. Concept maps drawn by the students give teachers **insight to what the students already know**, so he knows what should be learned next. Learning is manifested by **adding new concepts to the existing framework** of the concept map. This process is, according to Novak(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])), often accompanied by positive feelings. Concepts maps also give students ability to organize and asses their own knowledge.
+On the visual level, a concept map is a hierarchical (general to specific) diagram containing nodes and links, both labeled with words or symbols. The most important concept is usually placed in the center of the map or at its top. Novak describes the concept map building process in following steps(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])):
 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map|{{  :images:conceptmap.jpg?630x450|Concept map on concept maps. Image borrowed from: Wikipedia: Concept map. Click on the picture to follow the link.}}]]
+  - **Identify key concepts of the material** and list them or write them on pieces of paper to make them movable.
+  - **Rank the concepts** by placing most general ones at the top of the map with respect to the context of the matherial.
+  - **Add other more specific concepts** under the more inclusive ones.
+  - **Connect concepts by labeled lines**. Labels should add meaning by defining relationships between connected concepts.
+  - If desired, **specific examples of concepts can also be added** below concept labels
+  - If desired, change or reorganize the map in accordance with the newly noted relations between the concepts. Concept maps for the same topic can be organized in more possible ways.
-Novak describes the concept map building process in following steps:
+Concepts maps were first meant to be used in science education. Today they are used in other areas as well, as they can help both teachers and students.
-  * **Identify key concepts of the material** and list them or write them on pieces of paper to make them movable.
+Concepts maps can help a teacher to **identify and organize concepts** he is about **to teach** and * gain **insight to what the students already know** or how they view the topic from concept maps drawn by the students, so he knows what should be taught next. A teacher can also use them to(([[http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap7.php|Zeilik, M. Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping.]])):
-  * **Rank the concepts** by placing most general ones at the top of the map with respect to the context of the matherial.
-  * **Add other more specific concepts** under the more inclusive ones.
-  * **Connect concepts by labeled lines**. Labels should add meaning by defining relationships between connected concepts.
-  * If desired, **specific examples of concepts can also be added** below concept labels
-  * If desired, change or reorganize the map in accordance with the newly noted relations between the concepts. Concept maps for the same topic can be organized in more possible ways.
-A very important property of concept maps is that learning through adding new concept to them is inherently **meaningful learning**, since it establishes clear connections with the existing knowledge. **Rote learning** on the other hand is the result of **lack of established connections** to prior knowledge and forgetting of the learned information in 4-6 weeks(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])).
+  * teach terms, facts, and concepts of given topic,
+  * organize information into meaningful categories and relate those categories on a more general level,
+  * synthesize and integrate learned information thereby strengthening long-term retention,
+  * develop creativity and higher-level thinking skills, strategies, and habit.
+To students concept maps give the ability to **organize** and **assess** their own knowledge. Learning here is manifested by **adding new concepts to the existing framework** of the concept map. This process is, according to Novak(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])), often accompanied by positive feelings. A step-by-step example on how to introduce and work on concept maps with students in classes can be found in [[http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap7.php|Michael Zeilik's article on concept mapping]].
+Another important property of concept maps is that learning through adding new concept to them is inherently **meaningful learning**, since it establishes clear connections with the existing knowledge. **Rote learning** on the other hand is the result of **lack of established connections** to prior knowledge and forgetting of the learned information in 4-6 weeks(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])).
+A set of improvements to concept mapping has been suggested by Ahlberg(([[http://cmc.ihmc.us/papers/cmc2004-206.pdf|Ahlberg, M. Varieties of Concept Mapping]])):
+  * all **concepts** are interpreted as main elements and should be **inside frames**, which was not the case in Novak's earlier works
+  * there are **no limits on the length of the labels** since longer labels are sometimes required to offer accurate explanation
+  * connections should have **arrowheads** in order to point the direction of the connection
+  * **pictures, videos or sounds** may also be connected in a concept map
+  * concept mapping is a **general method for knowledge representation** and does not have to be associated exclusively with Ausubel's assimilation theory
+  * concept maps do **not** have to be **hierarchical** (for example cyclic concept maps(([[http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/Cyclic%20Concept%20Maps.pdf|Safayeni, F., Derbentseva, N., & Cañas, A. J. Concept maps: A theoretical note on concepts and the need for cyclic concept maps. Manuscript submitted for publication. 2003.]])))
+  * a good concept map should have only **one instance of each concept**, which was not the rule in some Novak's works, sometimes due to a too large number of links connecting a certain concept
+  * sometimes it is useful to suggest a way of reading a concept map (for example top to bottom or bottom to top)
+Concept maps were earlier drawn by hand, but today a number of computer applications like the free [[http://cmap.ihmc.us/|IHMC CmapTools]] can be used to enhance this process.
+===== Criticisms =====
+Concept mapping is a very well accepted and widely used method, but it:
+  * was designed mostly to represent declarative and not procedural knowledge or algorithms,
+  * is a rather difficult and sometimes time-consuming cognitive task which requires training.
+===== Keywords and most important names =====
+  * **Concept mapping**, **concept maps**, **concept**, **object**, **meaningful learning**
+  * [[http://www.ihmc.us/groups/jnovak/|Joseph Novak]]
 ===== Bibliography =====
 [[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]]
-[[http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/Origins.html|Novak, Joseph D. & Cañas, Alberto J. The Origin and Development of Concept Maps]]
+[[http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/Origins.html|Novak, Joseph D. & Cañas, Alberto J. The Origin and Development of Concept Maps.]]
+[[http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap7.php|Zeilik, M. Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping.]]
+[[http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/Origins.html|Novak, Joseph D. & Cañas, Alberto J. The Origin and Development of Concept Mapping.]]
+===== Read more =====
+[[http://books.google.hr/books?id=8jkBcSDQPXcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Novak+and+Gowin%27s+Learning+How+to+Learn&hl=hr&ei=ul13Te2eJsbCtAaNtZ2GBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Novak%20and%20Gowin%27s%20Learning%20How%20to%20Learn&f=false|Novak, Joseph Donald, & Gowin, D. B. Learning how to learn. Cambridge University Press, 1984.]]
+[[http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.137.2955&rep=rep1&type=pdf|Novak, J. D, & Canas, A. J. The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Pensacola Fl, 2008.]]

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