concept maps: learning made visible allison brckalorenz [email protected] center for teaching...
TRANSCRIPT
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
“Flow Chart.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart
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
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
http://www.prel.org/products/re_/ES0419.htm
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?
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, 1998)
(Canas, A. J., Coffey, J. W., Carnot, M. J., Feltovich, P., Hoffman, R. R., Feltovich, J., & Novak, J. D., 2003)
(Novak & Musonda, 1991)
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 well-
crafted 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 question2. 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 relationships6. Look for crosslinks7. 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 Post-its 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 High score
Criteria
Medium score
Criteria
Low score Criteria
Spelling 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!
