Concept maps:
Learning made visible
Allison BrckaLorenz
allison-brcka@uiowa.edu
Center for Teaching
4039 Main Library
335-6058
teaching@uiowa.edu
centeach.uiowa.edu
What is a concept map?
• Cognitive mapping: a kind of mental
processing with which people can acquire
and recall information
– Concept mapping is a practical use of
cognitive mapping
– Other practical uses of cognitive mapping
• Mind mapping, mental mapping, argument
mapping, semantic mapping, etc.
What is a concept map?
• Carefully examine these examples of
maps
• How are the maps similar?
• How are the maps different?
• Which do you think are examples of
“concept maps”?
This is an example of a flow chart:
flow charts are used to describe a
process or plan the stages of a
project, there is usually not
hierarchical arrangement, and linking
words usually answer questions
These are examples of a
family tree: family trees
have a hierarchical
structure, nodes consists
of people, and linking lines
imply a type of family
relationship
“Flow Chart.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart
http://people.howstuffworks.com/mafia2.htm
www.hqbach.net/images/Corleone.jpg
This is an example of a mind map.
Mind maps often use pictures or
symbols, do not necessarily have
hierarchical arrangement, and are
often used for brainstorming.
Margulies, N. (1991). Mapping inner space: Learning and
teaching mind mapping. Tucson, AZ: Zephyr Press.
This is an example of an argument
map or a rationale map: such maps
are used to informally represent the
structure of an argument; hierarchical
arrangement usually exists; nodes
consist of a contention, premises,
objections, etc.
“Argument Map.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_map
This is an example of a semantic
map: semantic maps are often used
to extend or introduce new vocabulary,
nodes are words or categories of
words, linking lines are relationships of
similarity
This is an example of a
concept map!
(Novak, 1998)
What makes this map different
from the other maps?
http://www.prel.org/products/re_/ES0419.htm
Key elements of a concept map
1. A grounding in assimilation learning theory and
constructivism (new knowledge related to old
knowledge, progressive differentiation, etc.)
2. Hierarchical Organization (general/abstract
notions subsume specifics/details)
3. Meaningful labeled links (linking words and
concepts should form a meaningful
proposition)
4. Concepts are…“concepts”—“perceived
regularity in objects or events” (Novak &
Gowin, 1984)—not images, thoughts,
sentences, people, events, etc.
Concept maps of “concept maps”
(Novak & Musonda, 1991)
(Novak, 1998)
(Canas, A. J., Coffey, J. W., Carnot, M. J., Feltovich, P.,
Hoffman, R. R., Feltovich, J., & Novak, J. D., 2003)
So what are these?
(Novak, 1998)
What is the theoretical background
of concept mapping?
• David Ausubel (1960’s)
– Assimilation theory—a learning theory in
which new material is learned when it can be
related to existing knowledge
• This distinguishes between rote learning and
meaningful learning
– Ausubel believed that the most important
factor to influence learning was what the
learner already knew
What is the theoretical background
of concept mapping?
• Joseph Novak (1970’s)
– He started using concept mapping as way to
represent new science knowledge to students
– He used Ausubel’s assimilation theory and
constructivism (learners actively construct
knowledge) to write his book Learning How to
Learn (Novak & Gowin, 1984) and to
formalize the technique of concept mapping
What does other literature have to
say about concept mapping?
• Students enjoy or have positive attitudes about
concept mapping
• Concept mapping can reduce test and content
anxiety
• Students and teachers find that concept
mapping helps students learn course material
more deeply
• Concept mapping is a valid and reliable tool for
evaluating students’ differences in learning
• Students’ maps are a valid and reliable way to
identify student misconceptions
Introducing concept mapping
•
•
Start concept mapping training early
Don’t assign a concept mapping exercise
without some training
–
–
–
–
•
Formalize concept, proposition, linking word
Formalize your expectations in terms of hierarchy,
linking words, examples
Show students what you consider to be a wellcrafted map and what maps could be improved
Allow students the opportunity to practice mapping
several times before formally evaluating their maps
See Novak & Gowin’s tips for introducing
concept maps to your students
How to create a concept map
1. Identify your topic or focus question
2. List important concepts associated with the
topic (10 to 20 is a good start)
3. Rank the concepts from most general at the
top to most specific at the bottom (add
concepts as necessary)
4. Arrange the topics on the mapping field
hierarchically
5. Add linking phrases to describe relationships
6. Look for crosslinks
7. Review, make changes, and finalize
Let’s create a concept map
•
•
•
•
•
•
Start with the focus concept SPRING
List concepts related to “spring” (try for
10-15)
Rank concepts according to level of
abstraction and arrange hierarchically
Add linking phrases between concepts
Look for crosslinks
Review, make changes, and finalize
Best Practice Advice
•
Give students a clear focus question to guide their
maps
–
–
•
•
•
Don’t give the assignment “Create a map for the word
SPRING.”
A better assignment: “Describe the forces affecting a mass
hanging on a spring.”
Give students good parameters in which to work (be
clear with your rules for hierarchy, types and numbers
of concepts, linking words, etc.)—let them know what
you expect from them!
Never ask students to memorize and replicate a given
map—this works against meaningful learning
Never forget that concept mapping is less about the
structure of the map and more about communicating
ideas in a different format
Concept maps and technology
• Many software programs exist for the purposes
of concept mapping
– Cmap (http://cmap.ihmc.us)
• Free, very easy to use and share, very customizable
– Inspiration (www.inspiration.com)
• Very easy to use, K-12 focus, only free in certain campus
labs
– Glinkr (www.glinkr.net)
• Free with registration, less easy to use, not as pretty
– FreeMind (http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki)
• Free, not very customizable, fun icons
– Compendium (www.compendiuminstitute.org)
• Not intuitive, not very customizable, a little boring
Concept maps and technology
• Great Cmap Features
– Easy to add attachments (documents,
websites, figures, tables, etc.)
– A variety of ways to share maps
– Knowledge “soups”
– “List View” converts maps to and from
outlines/lists
– Built-in presentation features
– Build and edit maps with others using
“synchronous collaboration”
Concept maps and Cmap
• Let’s try creating a map in Cmap using your
SPRING map
• Open Cmap
– Double click to create your first concept
– Drag from the arrow box to connect the next
concept
• A single click on a concept shows the concept’s
arrow icon
• Holding shift while dragging gives a connecting line
without a linking word
– Change colors and shapes: Format ->
Styles…
• Note the tabs Font, Object, Line, Cmap
Concept maps and Cmap
• Try sharing your map
– Save your map with your hawkid
– Then save your map to the shared folder
• Click the world icon—this allows you to share your
map on the public Cmap servers
• Save in the “IHMC Publc Cmaps” → “UI Concept
Mapping Workshop” folder
– Edit → Refresh allows you to see newly added
maps
– Double clicking a map will open it for viewing
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Use as an advance organizer
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Introduce a new topic
(maps adapted from Novak, 1998, pp. 54-55)
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Create a Course Map
– Collectively create the map as the course
progresses
– Allow students to supply the key concepts and
connections
• Alternative idea: have students create mini-maps
that can be combined into a comprehensive map
• Alternative idea: use the course’s discussion
session to create a master map of the week’s topic
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Varieties of “complete
the map”
– Fill in the concepts
• Don’t give students a list
of concepts to use
• OR do give students a list
of concepts to use (list
some related but incorrect
words as well)
– Fill in the propositions
• Similarly do or do not give
students a list of linking
words to use
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Concept Maps and Writing Assignments
– Write about horizontal linking lines:
(Cilburn, 1987)
– Structure an essay assignment for students
with a map
– Let students structure their essay assignment
for you with a map
Concept mapping as a teaching
tool
• Create Misconception Maps
– Display and discuss concept maps with
commonly used inaccurate connections
among topics or applications of commonly
used inappropriate concepts
– Have students analyze the maps in order to
correct the concepts and connections
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• A note taking tool
– Distribute simplified maps of your lecture for
students to use as an outline for note-taking
– Teach students how to map and encourage
them to take notes in this format
• A tool for studying
– Have students map various size units of text
or their lecture notes in preparation for an
exam
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• Collaborative mapping
– Have students work in groups to diagram their
understanding of a topic
• Working together can help generate whole-group
discussion
• Mistakes that appear during collaborative mapping
will show a lack of understanding by more than
one student
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• Preparing for laboratory exercises or
practicum experiences
– Before the experience, have students map the
necessary background information
– During the experience (if possible), have
students link events to their background map
– After the experience, have students map any
conclusions or summaries and synthesize
these into their original map
• Such mapping can help students reflect on events
and help make connections between theory and
practice
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• Students can really see their learning in
pre- and post mapping exercises
– Have students create a map of their
knowledge of the course material at the
beginning of the course
• Collect this map from students and save it
– Have students create map of their knowledge
of the course material at the end of the course
• Return students’ maps from the beginning of the
course so they can visually see all of the learning
that occurred
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• Preparing for and summarizing readings
– Teach students how to map a reading
• Before reading, students skim the table of
contents, foreword, introduction, summaries,
charts, etc.
• During reading, students can make notes on Postits of key events and examples
– The pre-map can serve as a guide to thinking about
content
• After reading, students can transfer their
notes/Post-its to the pre-map as a guide to
mapping the entire reading
Concept mapping as a learning tool
• Let’s collaboratively pre-map a book
– Use one of the given books, or use a book
you’ve brought with you
• Skim the table of contents, chapter subheadings,
index, forward, pictures, charts, graphs,
introductions, summaries, back cover, etc.
• As you begin to map, think
–
–
–
–
–
–
What appear to be the “big ideas” in the book?
What does it appear that the authors want you to learn?
How do the main topics appear to be related?
How is the book structured?
Does the order of topics matter?
How are examples introduced?
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• Summative assessments
– Periodic assessments designed to determine
what students do an do not know
• Standardized exams, quizzes, formal essay,
midterms, finals, etc.
• Formative assessments
– Informal assessments designed to check on
students’ progress
• Observations, in-class discussion, reflection
papers, practice problems, etc.
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• Any of the given exercises so far could be used
as a summative assessment, but the following
examples work particularly well:
– Have students create a map given a list of key
concepts: “Below are seven concepts associated with
[insert topic]. Use them to construct a map.”
• You could supply a longer list (with some commonly used
misconception concepts) and have them select a smaller
amount of concepts to use.
– The following slide is an example of a students’ map
on a mid-term exam in the course Theory and
Methods of Education
• The instructor gave students a list of thirty concepts to use
and the instructions to add additional concepts as needed to
complete their map
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• Alternative examples of summative assessment
questions:
– Have students create a map without a given set of
concepts. This will allow you to see what the students
thought was important
– Give students a map of what you would like to assess
and have them write an essay “telling the story” of the
given map
• Note that in any assessment you do not want
to ask students to recall from a memorized
map—this will not promote meaningful
learning!
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• Again, any of the given exercises so far could be
used as a formative assessment, but the
following exercises work particularly well (have
students turn these in or look at them during
class):
– Have students map the previously assigned readings
– Have students map their small-group discussions of a
given topic
– Have students map a summary of a given set of class
periods
– Have students map topics that they would like more
information on or do not understand (these maps can
then be addressed directly in small- or large-group
discussions
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• In analyzing
students’ maps
during a formative
assessment, you
can see what are
students’ basic
understandings of
a topic
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• And you can
see which
students have
a more
advanced
understanding
of a topic
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• Concept maps are commonly graded or
evaluated using rubrics
– Rubrics are scoring tools that use a predetermined
set of standards to assess criteria that are complex
and subjective
• They articulate in writing the criteria and standards that an
instructor will be using to evaluate student work
– Rubrics can help link graded criteria to learning
objectives, can help relate assignments to course
content, and can help make grading criteria
transparent
• For these reasons, it is often a good idea to share your
rubric with your students
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
Trait
Spelling
High
score
Criteria
Medium
score
Criteria
Low score
Criteria
10 points
Paper has no
spelling errors
8 points
Paper has 1
spelling error
5 points
Paper has two or
more spelling
errors
High Score
Characteristics
Medium Score
Characteristics
Low score
Characteristics
“A” paper
•Adequately states and
defends argument
•Appropriate citations
•Counterarguments are
identified and adequately
answered
“B” paper
•Has an argument with
some weakly defended
points
•Mostly appropriate
citations
•Not all counterarguments
are answered
“C” paper
•Incorrect factual
statements
•Mostly non-scholarly
citations
•No counterarguments
Assessing and evaluating concept
maps
• What do you think belongs in a rubric of a
concept map?
• Look at some of these example rubrics
–
–
–
–
What do you like and not like about them?
What make them easier to use?
What makes them more difficult to use?
What other things are important to you to add?
• Use one of these rubrics (or an adaption) to
evaluate the given ANIMALS map
– How does using one or another rubric change the
evaluation of the map?
Concept maps as a planning tool
• Lesson preparation
– Map your plan for a lecture or use a map to
integrate several lectures
• Distribute a simplified version of the lesson map to
students as an outline of the day’s lecture notes
– Use a map of students’ background
knowledge so that you can plan to build on
what they already know
Concept maps as a planning tool
• Lecture Notes
– A concept map can be a useful tool to ensure
you don’t forget any of the important points in
a lecture
– Lesson maps can help you to decide in which
areas to abbreviate if you are running short on
time
– Lesson maps can be useful visual aids for
yourself and for your students to follow along
Concept maps as a planning tool
• Lesson evaluation
– Periodically collect students’ maps of your lecture to
make sure you’re emphasizing the points you want to
make
– Have a colleague attend and map your lecture for
comparison and feedback
• Create a set of classroom rules with your
students using concept maps
• Time management
– Useful for planning your week, your day, classroom
pacing, classroom goals, etc.
• Possible branches include things to remember, things of
urgency, things needed to prepare, etc.
Concept maps as a planning tool
• Concept maps are now commonly used to
plan and evaluate curricula
– Mapping can be applied to several levels of
curricula—program, course, chapter, topic,
etc.—to ensure that an overall organization
exists
– Mapping curricular units can help with pacing
and spacing
• If one branch seems to crowded, spilt it into
separate branches. If your assignments are too
clustered, restructure the homework
Concept maps as a planning tool
The following is the classic template for
curricular planning:
Concept maps as a planning tool
Concept maps can even be used to plan
workshops!