Concept mapping is a cognitivist instructional design model developed by Joseph Novak and his colleagues in 1972 as they worked on understanding how children's knowledge of science changes1). Some of the first concept maps were, however, proposed by some other authors as well2), but concept maps in their fullest form were introduced by Novak in 19813). In Novak's words, concept map is a
Concept mapping is the process of creating concept maps,
As explained, on the visual level, a concept map is a hierarchical (general to specific) diagram containing nodes and links, both labeled with words or symbols. The most important concept is usually placed in the center of the map or at its top. Novak describes the concept map building process in following steps7):
|1.||Identify key concepts of the material and list them or write them on pieces of paper to make them movable.|
|2.||Rank concepts by placing most general ones at the top of the map with respect to the context of the matherial.|
|3.||Add other more specific concepts under the more inclusive ones.|
|4.||Connect concepts by labeled lines. Labels should add meaning by defining relationships between connected concepts.|
|5.||If desired, specific examples of concepts can also be added below concept labels.|
|6.||If desired, change or reorganize the map in accordance with the newly noted relations between the concepts. Concept maps for the same topic can be organized in more possible ways.|
Concepts maps can be useful to both teachers and students. To students concept maps give the ability to organize and assess their own knowledge, and learn through adding new concepts to the existing framework of the concept map8). Such process of creating and learning using a concept map is, according to Novak9), often accompanied by positive feelings. A teacher can use concept maps to10):
A step-by-step example on how to introduce and work on concept maps with students in classes can be found in Michael Zeilik's article on concept mapping.
An important property of concept maps is that learning through adding new concept to them is inherently meaningful learning, since it establishes clear connections with the existing knowledge. Rote learning on the other hand would be the result of lack of established connections to prior knowledge and causes forgetting of the learned information in 4-6 weeks.11)12)
A set of improvements to concept mapping has been suggested by various authors including Ahlberg13):
Concept maps were earlier drawn by hand, but today a number of computer applications like the free IHMC CmapTools can be used to enhance this process.
Concept mapping is a very well accepted and widely used method, but it: