Using Concept Maps to Promote
Conceptual Understanding
Olusola O. Adesope
Educational Leadership, Sport Studies, Educational /Counseling Psychology
Faculty-Led Workshop
January 27, 2015
Outline
2
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Overview of My Research and Teaching Interests
What Is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research Program in Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
 Meta-analysis of concept maps (RER)
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies
Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
My Interests
Self-Regulated
Learning
Knowledge
Representation
STEM
Education
(Concept Maps)
Educational
Psychology
Research
Methods
(Meta-Analysis)
Multimedia
Learning &
Adaptive Systems
Overview
4


What is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research on Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies





Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the
Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
What Is Concept Mapping?
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
A strategy for organizing and representing
information
A true concept map must include


Concepts as nodes – usually enclosed in circles or
boxes
Relationships among concepts as labelled links


Illustrated by lines and arrows connecting concepts
Labels on those lines that highlight the nature of the
relationship
Concept Maps

Variations of Concept Maps

Knowledge maps

Semantic networks


Ontologies

Graph Theory – Directed or Indirected Graph
Topic maps
Example Concept Map
Node
label
label
Node
label
Node
label
Node
Node
label
label
Node
Node
label
Node
label
Node
Types of Concept Maps


a concept map can take many forms,
provided it includes concepts and illustrates
relationships
through BOTH lines AND
proposition statements:
spider, with information
organized outward
around a central topic
Types of Concept Maps

hierarchy, with
information structured
from most to least
important; or from
most inclusive
and general to
less inclusive
and specific
Activity 1

Arrange the following three terms
and connect them with arrows
using these link labels (caused
by; treated with; kill)
Bacteria
Pneumonia
Antibiotics
A Mini Concept Map
Caused by
Pneumonia
Bacteria
Antibiotics
Variations on a Theme
Pneumonia
Caused by
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Bacteria
Antibiotics
Can cause
Pneumonia
Can cause
Bacteria
By reversing the arrows,
changing the linking words,
and adding color, the focus
and emphases change.
Pneumonia
Antibiotics
Overview
13


What is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research on Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies





Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the
Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
Highlights of Research Program in
Concept Mapping

Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps

Published in the Review of Educational Research
(RER) in 2006

Cited 436 times by other researchers, as of today

One of the most frequently read articles in RER

Set the stage for a program of research on visual
displays, especially with concept map
Do Researchers Care about Concept Maps?
Do Student Like Concept Maps?

Bahr & Dansereau (2001). Studying bilingual
maps vs lists
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ease of learning .48
satisfaction with presentation format .46
motivation and concentration .26
confidence in future performance .44
Reynolds & Dansereau (1990). Studying
hypermap vs hypertext

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satisfaction .87*
frustration and confusion (reversed) .80*
Are Concept Maps Effective for Learning?
Meta-Analysis:
Studies comparing maps to other learning methods
N
All
Maps constructed
U.S. and Canada
Africa
Taiwan
Maps studied
U.S. and Canada
Other
k
Effect size (g)
M
5,818
3,160
1,539
67
27
18
.60*
.82*
.48*
1,388
233
2,658
7
2
40
1.45*
-.00
.37*
2,358
300
37
3
.37*
.40*
Interpreting the Meta-analysis
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Maps more effective for students with lower
verbal ability
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Especially ESL students
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Maps more effective for central ideas than
detail ideas
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Concept maps are generally more
effective for learning than texts and outlines
The Downside of Maps
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Constructing concept maps
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Students need practice to benefit from
concept mapping
Require software to make complex maps
And the biggest problem is …
COMPLEXITY IN
READING MAPS!!!
How do I Read this Map?
My Research Program
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Software that integrates concept mapping
with document annotation for learning
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gStudy
Animated concept maps to reduce map
shock and cognitive load
Meta-Analysis Informed
Experimental Studies
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Concept and Knowledge Maps
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Proposed animated concept maps to reduce
complexity in reading static maps and cognitive
load associated with map shock
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Nodes and links are sequentially added
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Published 6 studies on the effects of concept
maps
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Over 10 conference presentations on different
experiments on concept maps
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Two studies under preparation
Overview
24


What is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research on Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies





Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the
Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
Strategies: Complete Fill-in
25
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fill-in blanks in pre-structured map from a list of
concepts
helps students
to consolidate
understanding
of concepts
and relations
among them
Strategies: Partial Fill-in
26
Strategies: Fill-in-the-Propositions
SOUND
General
Chuck Y eager
s pe e d
v
longitudinal
w ave
fre que ncie s
w ave length
Bell X-1
20-20,000 Hz
"Glamourous
Glennis"
October 17,
1947
f requency
f
hum an
he aring
15-50,000 Hz
canine
he aring
Yeager's w ife
Muroc Dry Lake
Beds, CA
Edw ards AFB
Wave
Equation
Dr. Paul M. Rutherford
Instr uctor
Lee's Summi t Technology
Academy
Lee's Summi t, MO
1000-150,000 Hz
bat he ar ing
Strategies: Fill-in-the-Propositions
SOUND
was fi rst
broken by
General
Chuck Y eager
whose
is a
s pe e d
v
tr avels i n
longitudinal
w ave
in a
fre que ncie s
Bell X-1
"Glamourous
Glennis"
after
Yeager's w ife
of
w ave length
nam ed
20-20,000 Hz
15-50,000 Hz
1000-150,000 Hz
the r ange of
the r ange of
the r ange of
hum an
he aring
canine
he aring
on
October 17,
1947
at
Muroc Dry Lake
Beds, CA
now known as
Edw ards AFB
f requency
f
which is call ed
the
Wave
Equation
Dr. Paul M. Rutherford
Instr uctor
Lee's Summi t Technology
Academy
Lee's Summi t, MO
bat he ar ing
Strategies: Pre-Selected
Term Mapping
29

Design a concept map to show your understanding of
CO2, a greenhouse gas, and its past and future effect
on climate. Use the following concepts:
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fossil fuels
deforestation
clouds
atmospheric water vapor
ocean
CO2
Industrial Revolution
longwave solar radiation
global warming
human activity
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evaporation
transpiration
greenhouse gas
concentrations
ice
albedo
photosynthesis
feedback loops
shortwave solar infrared
radiation
Strategies: Seeded Term Mapping
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also called "micro-mapping"
provide students with a list of "starter" or
"seed" terms (5-6)
students must use these terms in their map
AND use another 5-6 terms from their own
knowledge of the topic
Strategies: Advanced Organizer
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develop an expert map of a course topic
provide to students as an advance
organizer prior to teaching and for review
purposes
Strategies: Advanced Organizer
Strategies: Unguided Maps
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Once students are familiar with concept
mapping processes, they can also be
asked to do unguided maps, e.g.
 After
reading a section of text,
 At the end of a topic.
 At the end of the course.
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This helps with identifying and tying
together core concepts, and also acts as
a learning tool for test revision.
Overview
34


What is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research on Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies





Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the
Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
Software Tools for c_Mapping
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Kidspiration
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Inspiration
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MatchWare OpenMind
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Microsoft Visio
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SmartDraw
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cmapTools
cmapTools
cmapTools – Free online tool built for
collaborative concept mapping, can
attach video, images, files, links, and other
external resources, export function
Overview
37


What is Concept Mapping?
Highlights of Research on Concept Mapping
for Teaching and Learning
Meta-Analysis of Concept Maps
 Empirical (Experimental) Studies





Strategies for Using Concept Maps in the
Classroom
Software Tools to Support Concept Mapping
Activity
Q&A
Stages in the Construction of a
Concept Map
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Brainstorming Stage
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Organizing Stage
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Layout Stage
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Linking Stage
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Revising Stage
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Finalizing Stage
Activity 2
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Using the following concepts and labels, draw a
concept map of the human nervous system
Central nervous system
Somatic nervous system
100 billion neurons
Voluntary movements
Human nervous system
Parasympathetic system
Spinal cord
Hand waving
Peripheral nervous system
Involuntary actions
Autonomic nervous system
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Brain
Sympathetic system
Heart beat
Three pounds for adults
LABELS
consists of
weighs
includes
controls
such as
Activity 3

Draw a concept map describing
yourself and what makes you
unique from others
Q&A
Sola Adesope
olusola.adesope@wsu.edu