Concept mapping is a cognitivist learning model developed by Joseph Novak and his colleagues in 1972 as they worked on understanding how children's knowledge of science changes¹⁾. First concept maps were, however, proposed by some other authors as well²⁾, but concept maps in their fullest form were introduced by Novak in 1981³⁾. In Novak's words, concept map is “a visual representation of the relationships between concepts held by an individual, materials of a lecture, textbook, or laboratory exercise. By concept mapping even old and familiar material, we often recognize new relationships and meaning.”⁴⁾ His works were influenced by Ausubel's assimilation theory.

Concept maps should help both sides in the educational process to learn more meaningfully.

Novak describes the concept map building process in following steps:

• Identification of key concepts of the material
• Ranking the concepts by placing most important ones at the top of the map
• Adding other concepts under the main ones
• Connection of concepts by lines and labeling those connections with linking words
• If desired specific examples of concepts can also be added below concept labels

An example of a concept map about concept maps can be found here.

Novak, J. D. Introduction to concept mapping.

Novak, Joseph D. & Cañas, Alberto J. The Origin and Development of Concept Maps