Concept Mapping... the why and the how.

What is concept mapping and why would students and teachers use it in the classroom. Surely it is time consuming and a waste of valuable classroom time that could be spent reciting maths facts.......

WELL, I am hear to tell you that no that is not the case, it is most certainly a valuable tool in organising, planning, assessing and learning.

Looking back at the history of concept mapping, Joseph Novak was a professor who understood the importance of this valuable tool back in the 1960's and has researched its benefits and value for the classroom and teacher. An article from Stanford University (http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/projects/ireport/articles/concept_maps/ConceptMapsOnlineLearningEnvironment.pdf) goes on to explain the theories, ideas and benefits of concept mapping which I have summarised below.

What does a concept map look like?

They contain ideas that are represented in circles or blocks with lines between them to show relationships.

What are the advantages of using them?

Online concept maps have a variety of advantages including:

• they are easy to correct, manipulate or adapt
• can be converted into multiple formats
• can be sent to teachers, friends or peers for immediate feedback
• shows levels of understanding for the particular concept

What theories support the use of concept mapping tools to enhance learning?

There are a number of theories that support these tools and Joseph Novak investigated the theories of David Ausubel in his Meaningful learning theory. This theory proposed that "learning new knowledge is dependent on what is already known. In particular, new knowledge gains meaning when it can be largely related to a framework of existing knowledge rather than being processed and stored in isolation according to more or less random criteria."

Other theories include:-
Dual coding theory which ensures that there is importance placed on both the verbal and non-verbal cues in the learning process. Therefore, as well as talking about new concepts or knowledge students also have a visual cue in the form of a concept map to assist with their learning.

Schema theory supports the idea that students need to have prior information to associate new information with or create a new schema for new information. The use of a concept map in the classroom will help students associate information in the correct schema or help them generate new schemas to assimilate information.

Cognitive load theory suggests that students can retain new information if there is an abundance of information to be learned at one time. Therefore, the concept map would assist teachers in planning lessons and curriculum content to be taught to ensure that information is passed on to students at an appropriate time and in conjunction with other relevant information.

According to Novak, new concepts are acquired either by discovery learning or receptive learning. Discovery learning is the type of learning typically undertaken in the home and up to the time children begin formal schooling. Children are involved in a range of activities whereby they learn the skills they need to complete relevant tasks such as learning to communicate and investigating the world around them. Receptive learning is that which stereo-typically takes place in an educational setting whereby students are given information or concepts that they need to learn in a variety of content areas and contexts.

How can teachers use it as a learning tool?

The article from Stanford University states that "it serves as a template to aid in the organization and structuring of knowledge even though this knowledge is built up piece by piece." Concepts maps help students to put together a visual representation of their learning where they can relate all the bits of information together to develop deeper understanding of the layers involved with the concept they are learning.  They can clearly see relationships between new information and old. That is they can apply the information to the relevant schemas they have already developed and create new ones when necessary.

Concept mapping tools also fit neatly within a constructivist approach to learning where the following seven principles are important:-

1. Knowledge and beliefs are formed with the learner
2. Learners personally imbue experiences with meaning
3. Learning activities should cause learners to gain access to their experiences, knowledge and beliefs
4. Learning is a social activity that is enhanced by shared inquiry
5. Reflection and metacognition are essential aspects of constructing know;edge and meaning
6. Learners play a critical role in assessing their own learning
7. the outcomes of the learning process are varied and often unpredictable

Can concept maps be used as an assessment tool as well as a learning tool?

Absolutely. Concept maps can be used to follow and evaluate student learning while creating the documentation needed by teachers to support their marking or grading of students work. It is a great way for students to self assess or peer assess each other by looking for similarities and differences in their concept maps. This can also lead to discussion points where further learning and justification can take place. Teachers can use concept maps to see the depth of understanding  a student has in relation to a particular concept. It will also help to show misconceptions and the areas students are struggling with.

For this to be an effective tool for assessment students must first understand the point and ways of working with concept maps, there must be a comparable "expert" example to mark from and a set of criteria for the marking. Stanford University describes three characteristics required for concept mapping to be used as an effective assessment tool:- 

1. A task that requires students to give evidence of possession of knowledge structure of a domain.
2. A format for student's response.
3. A scoring system by which concept maps produced by students can be evaluated consistently and accurately.

What about planning for the classroom?

Teachers have a variety of methods at their disposal for planning and creating lessons. However, the benefits of using a concept map are numerous. They can be used individually or in groups and can track the ideas, key words, concepts, images needed or processes the teacher wants to use in the classroom. It also gives teacher the tools required to solve complex problems, to organise teaching content to ensure that all areas needed to be covered under the curriculum can be included in an orderly fashion without missing important components. It provides a comprehensive storage package for all media and content the teacher may require.

SO, overall there are are a multitude of reasons to support the use of online concept maps as a teaching, planning, learning and assessing tool. The benefits seems endless and provide an interesting and effective tool to manage student learning.