Concept Mapping and
Knowledge Integration
Professor James H. Wandersee, LSU
Professor Renee M. Clary, MSU
© 2009, EarthScholars™ Research Group
http:// EarthScholars.com
Respecting who you are: What is
your scientific field and science
question of current interest?
Please tell our group:
1. your name
2. the country and place you represent
3. your scientific field
4. your science question of current interest
In this short course,
you will learn:
1. How to construct scientific concept maps
2. About concepts, examples, principles, and
theories
3. About the nature of scientific thinking
4. About the value of visual representation
5. About the basic types of knowledge
6. About meaningful and mindful learning
7. Why knowledge integration is difficult but
essential
8. How to think about biogeocomplexity
In this short course,
you will also learn:
8. How to make and use a tag cloud diagram
9. How a set of micromaps can collectively form a
macromap
10. How an online DRAGON/GLOW knowledge base
consisting of concept maps could capture and
integrate the partners’ knowledge
11. How DRAGON/GLOW scientists could use others’
concept maps for problem solving & science
education
12. How to draw computer-based concept maps--and
even attach scientific papers, video clips, notes,
etc. to those maps
Visual Cognition
• Cognition = is the way we organize our thoughts
and make sense of the world.
• IQ test scores worldwide have risen dramatically
since 1918 on, but this have been masked by
score scaling. But scientist James R. Flynn (NZ)
noticed the biggest improvement has been on
the pattern completion and visual-spatial
thinking test items (“Flynn Effect”). This suggests
that we are increasing dependent on our visual
system to understand today’s world.
• This is why we are considering concept
mapping at this DELTA/GLOW Summit.
Los Alamos Map of Science
Scientific Concept
• Definition: a pattern or regularity that scientists have given
a word label—such as “wetland”
• Concepts can be real objects: gill, shrimp, seamount
• Concepts can be abstract ideas: ecosystem, supercontinent
• Concepts can be processes: rock cycle, ecosystem services
• Concepts can be properties: concentration, biodiversity, relief
• Concepts are what we scientists think with.
Learning a Concept
•
Concepts vary in hierarchical inclusiveness, such as:
vertebrate
bird athe basic level
crane
red-headed sarus crane
•
It takes a variety of examples for us to understand a
new concept well—to “see the pattern.”
•
Good tests of understanding a new concept are to :
(a) come up with an example not previously mentioned;
(b) sort a mixed set of objects or events into concept
categories.
Definition of a Concept Map
• A 2-dimensional, hierarchical, visual
representation of a domain of scientific
knowledge--consisting of linked concepts
and examples—useful for problem-solving
and instruction
• Based on the research of biologist Joseph
Novak at Cornell University (1979-present)
Example of a Concept Map
Micromap (~12 elements)
Hierarchy
Superordinate concept
Subordinate concepts
Linking words
Cross-links
ba ked
ce ra mi c
Examples
pe ncil
consists of
whi ch i s
call ed
pencil
"l ead"
2
grooved slats
made from
heated
made from
heated
joi ned by
graphi te
glue
wood
determi nes
characteri sti c
ori ginal ly in
for example
for example
"l ead"
hardness
powdered
form
rod
clay
whi ch
bonds the
hide
glue
shaped from
incense-cedar
trees
Why Use Novak’s Concept Mapping
Approach?
• There are many kinds of graphic organizers but
this type has been the subject of more than
1,000 research studies since 1979.
• This is the type most commonly used in science
instruction.
• There have been and continue to be
international research conferences on using this
type of map.
• Concept maps mirror how the brain organizes
information—hierarchically.
• Relationships are specified—unlike “mind
maps.”
• Examples anchor the map to the real world.
• Multimedia icon capability allows “drilling down.”
Science Terms
• Proposition—a knowledge claim that
connects two concepts (Cells contain
nuclei. Water acts as a solvent.)
Uniform itarianism
assu me s th at th e
Knowledge about a topic
consists of all the propostions
that a person knows about it .
Propositions can also be equations.
Cells
Pres ent
co ntai n
i s th e key to th e
Nuc le i
Pas t
The Four Basic
Conceptual RELATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Has characteristic
Set / member
Part / whole
Cause /effect
(Hoffman, 1991)
Fields of science
have their own
unique sets of RELATION
words.
The RELATION words
comprise the LINKS on
a concepy map.
Students have the most trouble
Putting in links on their maps.
Basic Kinds of Knowledge
• Declarative (content knowledge) *
• Procedural (process knowledge)
• Episodic (narrative knowledge)
• Concept maps are suitable for declarative
knowledge.
• Flow charts and cycle diagrams are suitable for
procedural knowledge.
• Illustrated text is suitable for narrative
knowledge.
• Construct—a higher-order concept that is
composed of several subconcepts (acceleration,
photosynthesis, bioturbation, blood diamond )
Acceleration
is defined as
is a
is
the
Vector
Quantity
Rate
has
second
der ivative
Units of
Measure
of
Change
of
in
Velocity
position
e.g.
involves
Specified
Dir ection
involves
e.g.
w ith respect to
Speed
Tim e
is defined as
measured in
Distance
Traversed
per
Unit of
Tim e
m /sec/
sec
ft/sec/sec
Scientific Language
• Principle—a useful generalization
(Archimedes’ Principle, Causality Principle,
Pascal’s Principle, Bernoulli’s Principle)
• Law—old term; a broad and important
principle (Hooke’s Law, Newton’s Laws, Law of
Superposition, Law of Parsimony, Cope’s Law)
• Theory—describes, predicts, explains a
large set of natural phenomena (atomic
theory, cell theory) Theories must be must be:
consistent, parsimonious, correctable,
empirically testable/verifiable, useful, and
progressive.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scientific Thinking…
Based on shared presuppositions about nature
Uses reason and logic
Uses multiple methods
Power resides in the argument, not the person
No supernatural explanations are allowed
Is evidence-based and data-driven
May change over time = progress
Values careful, multiple observations
Values experimentation & replication
Must fit within the accepted scientific framework
Requires moving towards a global consensus
Requires domain-specific knowledge
Values theory-building
Meaningful & Mindful Learning
i s a ch an ge i n
the mea ni n g of
Hum an
Exp eri en ce
ca n
be
Rote
Lea rning
Lea rning
ca n b e
ca n b e
Me aningful
Lea rning
h as
ch ara cteri sti c
h as
ch ara cteri sti c
se eks
i s con ne cted to
Eas ily
Forgotten
Verbatim
Nature
Mindful
Lea rning
co nti nu al l y
va rie s
Nov e lty
Prior
Know ledge
Pers pe ctiv es
The Metaphor of the Net
• A net whose mesh is too coarse misses
catching the target species.
• A net whose mesh is too fine captures
both the target species and lots of trivial
ones.
• Therefore a concept map should display
only the key concepts--and those will
trigger recall of the supporting details.
Concept Maps Trigger Recall
Rese arch
i s sup po rte d by
i s en ha nce d b y
Cohere nc e
of
Know ledge
Deep
Learning
i s ai de d
by
Signaling
i mp ro ve s b y
Contiguityof
Ass oc iated
Know ledge
Com pone nts
stren gthe ns
vi a visu al cu es
thro ug h el i mi na tio n o f
Extra ne ous
Ma terial
in
Organization
of the
Ma terial
Time
in
Spa ce
Biocomplexity
• Biocomplexity (NSF, 2001) the complex
behavioral, biological, social, chemical,
and physical interactions of living
organisms (including humans) with their
environment. The subfield of biocomplexity
encompasses other domains such as
biodiversity and ecology.
• Example: The annual summer “Dead
Zone” of the Gulf of Mexico
A Scientific Issue with Many Facets
Credit: http://www.smm.org/deadzone/causes/top.html
Biogeocomplexity
• We would like to expand the term
biocomplexity to biogeocomplexity by
counterbalancing the biological with the
geological components of complex scientific
issues.
• We see such issues characterized by emergent
properties, where the ensemble forces possess
capabilities that its individual agents lack.
• An oral example is: Sea Level Rise
• “When the sea level rises by 1 meter, many
provinces in the Mekong Delta will be
flooded.” Source: VietNamNet Bridge – The Climate Change
Research Institute, at Can Tho University
A Systems View of Earth
Earth
def ined as
Sy stem
composed of
div ided chemically
div ided phy sically
Interacting
"Spheres"
Components
Components
including
e. g.
e, g,
e. g.
e. g.
Core
including
Mantle
including
Crust
including
including
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
consists of
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Regolith
Hy drosphere
consists of
Water and Natural Processes
Natural Processes
include
modif y the
Processes with
Water
Earth
produces greatest
ef f ects on
as
as
as
as
Running Water
Groundwater
Glaciers
Shoreline
Processes
e.g.
Mississippi Riv er
include
include
Wind
Mass Wasting
Running Water
Running Water
acts as a
Geologic Agent
by
by
Transporting
Sediments
Eroding
with
along
in solution
Hy draulic Action
Cut Banks
Dissolv ed Load
within water
Suspended Load
by
when v elocity slows
Depositing
along bottom
dependent upon
along
Bed Load
Velocity
Point Bars
e.g.
Riv er enters
Ocean or Lake
Geological Map of
Deltaic Science
DRAGON
researched and
monitored by
inf luenced by
co-ev olv e with
Human Activ ity
Estuaries
which support
High biological
div eristy
including
including
Deltas
consist of
with water column
landf orms
dominated by
dominated by
dominated by
Riv ers
Tides
Wav es
e.g.
e.g.
e.g.
Mississippi Riv er
Ganges Riv er
Mekong Riv er
negativ ely impacts
Ov er-f ishing
Pollution
The Macromap
Ma crom ap
It is bes t to
k ee p ea ch
c omponent
ma p ~12
e le me nts in
s ize
co nta in on ly
se rves as a
Hi gh -L evel
Con ce pts
Mi cro map
"Ma p o f
Ma ps"
Mi cro map
Mi cro map
Any m aps
c an include
a tta ched
ima ge s,
papers ,
a udio clips ,
v ide o clips ,
e tc .
Mi cro map
Mi cro map
Mi cro map
Mi cro map
Mi cro map
Computer-Based Concept Maps
http://cmap.ihmc.us/conceptmap.html
Source: Institute for Human and Machine Cognition--IHMC
Free C-Map Software
http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/
Source: Institute for Human and Machine Cognition--IHMC
Making your Maps “Multimedia”
Source: Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
The Biggest Challenge for the
DRAGON / GLOW Partnership
•
•
•
The greatest challenge is communication, because
our sciences and regions have rarely interacted.
What causes this? Its called “moving out of your
comfort zone.” We scientists love to focus in and
understand some natural phenomenon--many of us
might spend the better part of a lifetime on one
subject. We can easily become the world’s expert. But
to move marginally outside our own science discipline
is often a daunting task.
Concept maps can provide a bridge across our
research specialties, across the great rivers and lakes,
across what is already known by some of us but not all
of us. Concept maps we make can offer a shared
visual portal into what we know collectively-- available
24/7 on the Web.
Two Kinds of Knowledge
To Be Captured on Maps
Explicit knowledge:
• can be expressed in words and numbers, and shared in
print and in presentations. *This has been the dominant
kind of knowledge in the West.
Tacit knowledge:
• is highly personal, experiential, and hard to formalize-making it difficult to communicate or share with others. It
can be (a) technical or (b) it can embody perceptions,
values, and ideals. It is best learned by apprenticeship or
“think-aloud” protocol. *This has been an important kind of
knowledge in the East.
Credit: Edvinsson & Malone, 1997, pp. 10-15.
How to Make a Concept Map
Source: Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
What is a
Tag Cloud Diagram?
Definition: A
visualization
of the word
frequency in a
given text
portrayed as a
weighted list.
See (right) the
example for
Charles
Darwin’s On
the Origin of
Species.
How to Make a
Tag Cloud Diagram
Free online application! http://www.wordle.net
Draw a Micromap of
your own Area of
Scientific Expertise (or Interest)
• Your top concept will be “Hao Chen’s Scientific
Expertise” or “Hao Chen’s Scientific Interest.”
• Include the field or fields of science you use in
your work.
• Include some important concepts you use in
your work.
• Include what you study and where you study it.
• We will offer you private help if you raise your
hand and tell us what you are trying to map.
• You will have an opportunity to post your map at
this Summit for all to see--if you agree.
Ready, Set, Go!
• Use the back side of the paper for your draft version—it
is normal to make revisions.
• Please print, instead of using handwriting.
• Use the ruler and the circle-form to make your map’s
lines and symbols.
• Try to limit your map’s size to a total of about 12-15
concepts and examples.
• Remember that every line needs to be labeled with
linking words.
• From top to bottom, move from “general” to “more
specific” concepts.
• Look for 1-2 possible cross-links you could insert on your
map.
• When done, your concept map should introduce us to
you and your work.
Later At this Summit Meeting…
• IF you brought your laptop computer with you,
go to http://cmap.ihmc.us/conceptmap.html
and download the free Cmap software.
• Try making your own computer-based concept
map. There are lots of “helps” on that web site.
• Try mapping your best research study.
• Try mapping the river or lake system that you
study, or that is the focus of your interest.
• This PowerPoint™ presentation © EarthScholars, 2009
will be posted on our own web site until July
4, 2009. http://EarthScholars.com