What is a Concept Map?

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What is a Concept Map?

• Concept maps often include
• concepts or ideas, enclosed in circles or boxes.
• represented in hierarchical fashion
• relationships between concepts, indicated by a
  connecting line.
• words on the line specify the precise
  relationship
• cross-links (relationships between concepts in
  different domains of the concept map).
• specific examples of events or objects
• help clarify meaning of a given concept

From The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How
to Construct Them, by Joseph D. Novak. Online
version available at http//wwwcmap.coginst.uwf.e
du/info/.
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Concept Map Sample
Novak, J.D. Gowin, D.B. (1984). Learning How to
Learn. New York Cambridge University Press.
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Concept Map Sample
From http//www.inspiration.com/diagrams/ed/concep
tmap2.html. Map by Paul Rutherford.
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Not a Concept Map Sample
Life-Cycle Analysis Flow Chart
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Uses of Concept Mapping

• BRAINSTORMING SUPPORT Provides format and
  direction for planning and generating new ideas.
• STUDY AID Facilitates effective note taking,
  summarizes newly learned concepts, or lends some
  structure or activity to reflective thinking.
• INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL Serves as visual aid or
  schematic summary, demonstrates complex
  relationships, or provides a means for assessment
  of understanding or isolation of misconceptions.

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Focus Pre- and post-lesson assessments

• Help students and educators recognize what
  students already know.
• Focus students on subject at hand, and help them
  frame their own learning.
• Allow educators to catch misconceptions early.

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Learning as Conceptual Change

• Students have pre-existing ideas, mental models,
  vocabulary, etc. (correct or incorrect).
• Student must understand relationships between
  existing ideas and concepts and newly-presented
  meanings for internalization to occur.
• Second language acquisition example.

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Examples from Science Technology for the
Environment

• Students were asked to
• draw concept maps of key ideas in assigned
  readings.
• draw simple concept maps, then elaborate and
  refine based on new information.
• Atmospheric System Example
• draw two concept maps comparing and contrasting
  environmental issues.
• Tropospheric Ozone vs. Stratospheric Ozone
  Depletion
• Global Climate Change vs. Ozone Depletion
• examine complexities of environmental problems
  using concept maps.
• Causes of extinction of a frog species

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Application

• Green Building Discussion -- What is a Green
  Building?
• What are the benefits of this sort of exercise
  for students? For teachers?
• What are some possible shortcomings or
  limitations of concept maps?

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Discussion

• Questions? Comments? Concerns?

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Links to Concept Mapping Websites

• General / How To
• http//classes.aces.uiuc.edu/ACES100/Mind/CMap.htm
  l - Offers general background information, as
  well as useful discussion of different types of
  concept maps.
• http//www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed407938.
  html - General information.
• http//www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/map_
  ho.html - General information.
• http//www.inov8.engr.psu.edu/faculty/cmap.htm -
  General information, useful discussion of how to
  create concept maps.
• http//www.mindtools.com/mindmaps.html -
  "Improving Note Taking with Concept Maps."
• Software
• http//www.inspiration.com - Most commonly used
  concept-mapping software. Site also contains
  information about theory, and instruction on
  mapping methods (see, for example,
  http//www.inspiration.com/inspclass.html).
• http//www.mindmapper.com - Alternate
  concept-mapping software.
• Theory
• http//wwwcmap.coginst.uwf.edu/info/ - "The
  Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How To
  Construct Them," by J. D. Novak.
• Examples / Uses
• http//www.sar.usf.edu/edorsz/ - Programmable
  concept map that demonstrates their potential
  complexity and possible application.
• http//www.schoolnet.edu.mo/general/biology/temp/c
  map/respir.html - Map of cellular respiration.
• http//ksi.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/articles/ConceptMaps/C
  M.htmlSection1 - Discusses practical application
  of concept map as a hypertext tool.

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Additional Resources

• Ausubel, D. P. (1963). The Psychology of
  Meaningful Verbal Learning. New York Grune and
  Stratton.
• Ausubel, D. P. (1968). Educational Psychology A
  Cognitive View. New York Holt, Rinehart and
  Winston.
• Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational
  Objectives--The Classification of Educational
  Goals. New York David McKay.
• Hyerle, D. (1996). Visual Tools for Constructing
  Knowledge. Alexandria, Virginia Association for
  Supervision and Curriculum Development.
• Novak, J.D. Gowin, D.B. (1984). Learning How to
  Learn. New York Cambridge University Press.