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--- instructional_design:concept_mapping [2011/08/24 10:41]
jpetrovic [What is concept mapping?]
+++ instructional_design:concept_mapping [2011/08/24 11:17]
jpetrovic [What is concept mapping?]
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ===== What is concept mapping? =====
-Concepts maps, first intended to be used in science education, are today used in other areas as well, as they can help both teachers and students.
+Concept mapping is the process of creating concept maps,
-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.]])):
+  * "//graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually  enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting  line linking two concepts. Words on the line, referred to as linking  words or linking  phrases, specify  the relationship between the two concepts. We define  concept  as a perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label.//"(([[http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.htm|Novak, J. D, and A. J Canas. The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct and use them. Technical Report IHMC CmapTools, 2008.]]))
-  * teach terms, facts, and concepts of given topic,
+As explained, 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.]])):
+{{  :images:concept.jpg?450x|Concept map as introduced by Novak and Gowin. Image borrowed from: Novak, Joseph Donald, & Gowin, D. B. Learning how to learn. Cambridge University Press, 1984.}}
+^ 1. | **Identify key concepts** of the material and list them or write them on pieces of paper to make them movable. |
+^ 2. | **Rank concepts** by placing most general ones at the top of the map with respect to the context of the matherial. |
+^ 3. | **Add other more specific concepts** under the more inclusive ones. |
+^ 4. | **Connect concepts** by labeled lines. Labels should add meaning by defining relationships between connected concepts. |
+^ 5. | If desired, **specific examples** of concepts can also be added below concept labels. |
+^ 6. | 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. |
+Concepts maps can be useful to both teachers and students. To students concept maps give the ability to **organize** and **assess** their own knowledge, and learn through **adding new concepts to the existing framework** of the concept map(([[http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap7.php|Zeilik, M. Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping.]])). Such process of creating and learning using a concept map is, according to Novak(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]])), often accompanied by positive feelings. A teacher can use concept maps to(([[http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap7.php|Zeilik, M. Classroom Assessment Techniques: Concept Mapping.]])):
+  * **identify and organize concepts** he is about **to teach**,
+  * gain **insight to what the students already know** or how they view the topic from concept maps drawn by the students,
   * organize information into meaningful categories and relate those categories on a more general level,
-  * synthesize and integrate learned information thereby strengthening long-term retention,
+  * synthesize and integrate learned information thereby strengthening long-term retention, and
-  * develop creativity and higher-level thinking skills, strategies, and habit.
+  * teach terms, facts, and concepts of given topic, 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]].
+An 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 would be the result of **lack of established connections** to prior knowledge and causes forgetting of the learned information in 4-6 weeks(([[http://uwf.edu/jgould/ConceptMappingIntro.pdf|Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.]]))((See also: [[learning_theories:Assimilation theory|Ausubel's assimilation theory.]])).
+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.]])).
@@ Line 30: / Line 46: @@
 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.
-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.]])):
-{{  :images:concept.jpg|Concept map as introduced by Novak and Gowin. Image borrowed from: Novak, Joseph Donald, & Gowin, D. B. Learning how to learn. Cambridge University Press, 1984.}}
-  - **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.

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