Theoretical origins of concept maps, how to construct them, and uses in education
Abstract and Figures
Concept maps, as we define them, are graphical tools for organizing and representing relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. Words on the line, referred to as linking words or linking phrases, specify the relationship between the two concepts. Concepts and propositions are usually organized hierarchically, from most general, most inclusive to most specific. It is best to construct concept maps with reference to some particular question we seek to answer, which we have called a focus question. The concept map may pertain to some situation or event that we are trying to understand through the organization of knowledge in the form of a concept map, thus providing the context for the concept map. In this paper we briefly present the origins and theoretical foundations of concept maps, explain how concept maps are constructed, and then show how the integration of concept maps with technology in software such as CmapTools facilitates the implementation of concept map-based learning environments that support our New Model for Education. Last, examples from three domains are used to describe how concept maps can be used to organize content based on the knowledge of domain experts, creating an environment that is easy to navigate for learners.
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Map is a powerful teaching and learning technique developed by Professor Joseph Novak, based on Ausubel's cognitive theory of meaningful learning, which asserts that "the most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows" (Novak & Canas, 2007). According to Bryce and Blown (2023), meaningful learning involves matching a person's experiences and concepts with new knowledge in an explicit and conscious manner. ...
... According to Bryce and Blown (2023), meaningful learning involves matching a person's experiences and concepts with new knowledge in an explicit and conscious manner. Novak and Canas (2007) stated that when meaningful learning techniques are used to understand an idea or concept, they alter human thinking patterns by restructuring existing concepts and linking them to new knowledge. ...
... Based on Ausubel's studies, Novak introduced a new learning technique, now known as "Concept Mapping." A Concept Map is used as a graphical tool to organise and represent knowledge (Novak & Canas, 2007). Bryce and Blown (2023) state that visually representing information through Concept Mapping helps individuals develop a better understanding of the knowledge domain. ...
Cost information is a crucial element in the construction industry; however, prevailing methods for presenting it to stakeholders are limited to formats such as Bills of Quantities (BOQs), quotations, and cost reports. This study, therefore examines the use of the Concept Map technique to represent cost information in construction, which is commonly used in other industries. Since this technique is not currently in practice in construction, the study employs a hypothetical scenario to demonstrate the comparative effectiveness of Concept Maps against traditional methods for cost information representation. A financial feasibility report was developed using the traditional method to represent cost information for a hypothetical construction project, alongside a Concept Map to visually explain the report’s details. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry experts to compare the effectiveness of the traditional report and the Concept Map for information representation. Content analysis was then performed to identify recurring opinions from experts regarding the use of the Concept Map technique for representing cost information. The study found that Concept Maps have key advantages over conventional reports, such as direct data access, data summarisation, graphical representation, and visible cost build-up. Further findings suggest that Concept Maps would be ideal for developing cost analyses, breakdowns, budgets, and for comparing cost information
... Concept mapping is a method used to represent concepts and their relationships in a visual diagram, using explanatory terms to relate concepts to each other [10]. A typical use in health education is to present students with a case scenario and have them create a concept map to represent their thought process as the case unfolds [9,11]. ...
... Teachers can ask students to create concept maps in different forms, depending on the purpose, such as freely from scratch or in a preconstructed form [10,11]. Because creating a comprehensive and accurate concept map is time-consuming and students need some time to learn how to do it, Daley and Torre [8] suggest the use of semistructured concept maps. ...
Background
Concept maps are a suitable method for teaching clinical reasoning (CR). For example, in a concept map, findings, tests, differential diagnoses, and treatment options can be documented and connected to each other. When combined with virtual patients, automated feedback can be provided to the students’ concept maps. However, as CR is a nonlinear process, feedback concept maps that are created together by several individuals might address this issue and cover perspectives from different health professionals.
Objective
In this study, we aimed to develop a collaborative process for creating feedback concept maps in virtual patient–based CR education.
Methods
Health professionals of different specialties, nationalities, and levels of experience in education individually created concept maps and afterward reached a consensus on them in structured workshops. Then, medical students discussed the health professionals’ concept maps in focus groups. We performed a qualitative content analysis of the transcribed audio records and field notes and a descriptive comparison of the produced concept maps.
Results
A total of 14 health professionals participated in 4 workshops, each with 3‐4 participants. In each workshop, they reached a consensus on 1 concept map, after discussing content and presentation, as well as rationales, and next steps. Overall, the structure of the workshops was well-received. The comparison of the produced concept maps showed that they varied widely in their scope and content. Consensus concept maps tended to contain more nodes and connections than individual ones. A total of 9 medical students participated in 2 focus groups of 4 and 5 participants. Their opinions on the concept maps’ features varied widely, balancing between the wish for an in-depth explanation and the flexibility of CR.
Conclusions
Although the number of participating health professionals and students was relatively low, we were able to show that consensus workshops are a constructive method to create feedback concept maps that include different perspectives of health professionals with content that is useful to and accepted by students. Further research is needed to determine which features of feedback concept maps are most likely to improve learner outcomes and how to facilitate their construction in collaborative consensus workshops.
... This section consists of explanations on the theories that supported this research. There are concept map theories including serial concept map, scratch building method and recomposition, and prior knowledge theory Novak (2007) describes concept map as being illustrated by connecting lines that link two concepts and are supplemented with linking words or phrases that explain the relationship between them. They are particularly helpful in higher education, where they can be used to identify prior knowledge, present new material, share expert knowledge and understanding, and document knowledge change. ...
In serial concept mapping, a concept map created during one lecture is extended in subsequent lectures, resulting in a comprehensive map over time. The quality of the initial maps directly influences the quality of future maps, making it crucial to enhance the concept maps created in each lecture. Teachers often develop reference concept maps beforehand to evaluate learners' maps and provide feedback based on these reference standards. Incorporating a reference map sharing phase after individual concept mapping is anticipated to improve the quality of learners' maps in each lecture and positively influence subsequent ones. However, the scratch- building method, where learners freely create all components of the map, poses challenges for effective reference map sharing due to discrepancies between the reference and learners' maps. To address this, we explored the re-composition method, where learners construct concept maps by reorganizing pre-provided components, allowing them to concentrate on structural aspects rather than creating the components themselves. This paper compares the effects of reference map sharing between individual concept mapping using the re-composition method and the scratch- building method. In the re-composition method, components are provided by decomposing the reference map, enabling learners to focus on structural differences during the reference map sharing phase. The study was conducted in university lectures, involving three map-building sessions and two reference map sharing sessions across three lectures for both groups. Results showed that the quality of each map (submap) improved incrementally for the re-composition group but not for the scratch-building group. This suggests that reference map sharing in serial concept mapping is more effective when using the re-composition method.
... This section consists of explanations on the theories that supported this research. There are concept map theories including serial concept map, scratch building method and recomposition, and prior knowledge theory Novak (2007) describes concept map as being illustrated by connecting lines that link two concepts and are supplemented with linking words or phrases that explain the relationship between them. They are particularly helpful in higher education, where they can be used to identify prior knowledge, present new material, share expert knowledge and understanding, and document knowledge change. ...
In serial concept mapping, a concept map created during one lecture is extended in subsequent lectures, resulting in a comprehensive map over time. The quality of the initial maps directly influences the quality of future maps, making it crucial to enhance the concept maps created in each lecture. Teachers often develop reference concept maps beforehand to evaluate learners' maps and provide feedback based on these reference standards. Incorporating a reference map sharing phase after individual concept mapping is anticipated to improve the quality of learners' maps in each lecture and positively influence subsequent ones. However, the scratch-building method, where learners freely create all components of the map, poses challenges for effective reference map sharing due to discrepancies between the reference and learners' maps. To address this, we explored the re-composition method, where learners construct concept maps by reorganizing pre-provided components, allowing them to concentrate on structural aspects rather than creating the components themselves. This paper compares the effects of reference map sharing between individual concept mapping using the re-composition method and the scratch-building method. In the re-composition method, components are provided by decomposing the reference map, enabling learners to focus on structural differences during the reference map sharing phase. The study was conducted in university lectures, involving three map-building sessions and two reference map sharing sessions across three lectures for both groups. Results showed that the quality of each map (submap) improved incrementally for the re-composition group but not for the scratch-building group. This suggests that reference map sharing in serial concept mapping is more effective when using the re-composition method.
While concept mapping is a valuable tool used to organize and represent ideas, the complexity and variability in how concepts are understood, connected, and represented make learners less receptive to using concept maps. Hence, it is important to employ scaffolding and motivational strategies to help students deal with complexity in working with concept maps. Self-efficacy and the perception of the helpfulness of concept map may enhance students’ responsiveness and adaptability of concept mapping. In this quasi-experimental study, we conducted a one-way multivariate ANOVA to examine the difference between the two scaffold conditions (concepts plus labels and concepts only). The study also reports the dimensions of perceived helpfulness of concept map students reported. Results revealed that concept plus labels scaffolding is as effective as concept-only scaffolding in promoting learning among chemistry students. A significant number of students reported that the mapping activity is helpful. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The pedagogical methodologies have been influenced and improved with the help of many useful technological and other interventions. In the past, many efforts have been made to blend project‐based learning (PBL) with gamification for a variety of domains. However, it is significant to construct a systematic framework of gamified project–based learning that can be used as a reference for designing and executing different courses in different educational settings. Hence, this research proposes a framework named MyGamify that comprises components including content domain, PBL, gamification, and a feedback system. This can be used as a reference framework for the instructors to design a course to be taught using PBL, augmented with gamification, for an improved learning experience. The framework has been formally validated by involving relevant experts, and it has been implemented with the help of an application that is exposed through web and mobile interfaces. Subsequently, to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, a longitudinal study has been conducted involving nearly 300 students and faculty members from two different institutions, whereby the course introduction to database systems has been redesigned accordingly and taught to the students of three different batches in the involved institutions using the following three different methods: (a) project at the end of the semester, (b) project throughout the semester, and (c) project throughout the semester blended with gamification. The data gathered by this study has been analyzed to identify the fulfillment of learning outcomes, students’ involvement, and percentage of project completion. The analysis reveals that the students performed well when combining PBL with gamification. It helped improve students’ involvement, better completion of projects, and better accomplishment of learning objectives by practicing the concepts throughout the semester on a well‐defined project in a gamified environment.
Aim: To evaluate the impact of a conceptual diagram assessment task on dietetic student knowledge of and confidence applying the Nutrition Care Process. Methods: Situated within a pragmatic research paradigm, this mixed methods study applied a survey administered before and after a conceptual diagram assessment task using the Nutrition Care Process to explore changes in student knowledge, self-reported confidence, perceptions towards the Nutrition Care Process, and student experience. Nineteen students enrolled in a first-semester unit within a Master level dietetic course completed the assessment task, which visually presented a client case sourced from the student-run clinic within the Nutrition Care Process framework, as an adjunct to traditional teaching. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test determined changes in knowledge and the McNemar test determined changes in self-reported confidence and perspective. Open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. Results:Knowledge scores (maximum of 10) significantly increased following participation in the assessment task (before 5.63 ± 1.67, after 8.36 ± 1.16, P Conclusions: Using conceptual diagrams alongside client cases is a novel and effective education tool to help dietetic students understand and apply the Nutrition Care Process as part of a system of assessment.
Explaining the overview of my conference paper which title is Effect of Re-composition Concept Mapping for Sharing Reference Maps on Serial Concept Mapping: A Preliminary Study
Finding relevant information on the Internet can be a daunting task that would be enhanced if the material were organized and could be accessed in an efficient manner. Browsers based on a concept map-based interface and on a World Wide Web page-based interface were compared for ease in finding information necessary to answer a series of search questions based on the same domain material (developmental psychology). Users differed in the amount of concept map training they received and the type of learner they tended to be (meaningful vs. rote learners). The results indicated that the concept map-based interface resulted in better search performance for all learners although this difference was most pronounced for meaningful learners. Training in concept map construction appeared to have no more effect on search performance using the concept map-based interface, than control conditions. Taken together, the results suggest that organizing information via a concept map-based interface leads to more accurate search performance than the typically used web page-based browser.
This paper describes CMEX Mars, an effort to create a comprehensive set of concept maps to describe all aspects of Mars exploration. These concept maps, created using the CmapTools software developed by the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, are available on the Internet at http://cmex.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX and are linked among themselves as well as to resources on the Internet. The work described took place mainly between 1998 and 2001 and combined the goals of: 1) developing a library of concept maps for educational outreach, while also 2) refining the capabilities of the software used to create the interactive maps, and 3) making them available on the Internet. Here we focus on the library of Mars exploration concept maps that has been created.
In this article, we describe a continuing project directed toward the design and development of a knowledge-based expert system (NUCES), used to aid interpretation of radionuclide imaging in the heart. NUCES comprises a multimedia user interface, a diagnostic system, testing facility, and a novel explanation system. We describe its potential use in training clinicians, and discuss its implications for the delivery of widespread screening for heart disease.
In this paper, we report on a continuing research effort aimed at the development of an integrated knowledge acquisition system, ICONKAT. We describe the components of the tool and discuss how they may be used to facilitate the design, construction, testing, maintenance and explanation of knowledge bases. ICONKAT's knowledge elicitation subsystem, based on both personal construct theory and assimilation theory, interactively assists the domain expert in the task of building a model of his or her expertise. ICONKAT employs a collection of modeling primitives (i.e. the glue) as the material basis for the construction of a conceptual domain model. The maintenance subsystem provides support tools for use by the knowledge engineering team, as well as the domain expert, when testing the system's performance, refining the knowledge base, and maintaining the overall system. The components of the maintenance subsystem employ a variety of mediating representations (e.g. concept maps, repertory grids) to furnish various perspectives of the evolving domain model as embodied in the modeling primitives. Moreover, the domain model that emerges from the knowledge acquisition process is subsequently exported from the development environment to the delivery environment where it serves as the foundation of the explanation capability for the deployed system. ICONKAT is currently employed in the design and construction of an expert system for the diagnosis of first pass functional cardiac images.
This chapter focuses on the importance of concept maps for effectively teaching science students. Students who learn meaningfully relate information from different sources in an attempt to integrate what they learn with the intention of imposing meaning. They form connections between new information and material that has been previously studied, and they think about the underlying structure of what is learned. Concept maps have been particularly helpful in representing qualitative aspects of students' learning. They may also be used by students as a study tool or by teachers to evaluate learning, enhance teaching, or facilitate curriculum planning. Concept mapping is a tool for representing the interrelationships among concepts in an integrated, hierarchical manner. Concept maps depict the structure of knowledge in propositional statements that dictate the relationships among the concepts in a map. Concept maps provide a useful approach for promoting and assessing meaningful learning by providing a tangible record of conceptual understanding. Not only are concept maps useful for determining whether, or to what extent, shared meaning has occurred, but they also portray the areas where it has not been achieved.
Audio-tutorial science lessons were provided to 191 first and second grade children (instructed), and interviews were conducted periodically to assess changes in science concept under standing from grades one through twelve. A similar sample (n = 48) not receiving audio-tutorial lessons in grades one and two (uninstructed) was also interviewed periodically from grades one through twelve. Instructed students showed substantially more valid concept understandings and fewer invalid concepts (misconceptions) than uninstructed students in grades two, seven, ten, and twelve. Concept maps prepared from interview transcripts showed wide variation in knowledge for both groups, and concept maps scored using a scoring algorithm also showed significant differences favoring instructed students. The data show the lasting impact of early instruction in science and the value of concept maps as a representational tool for cognitive developmental changes.