Transcript Concept Maps - University of New England

Concept Maps
A way to demonstrate
understanding and seek new
knowledge
What Are Concept Maps?

Concept maps are graphical tools for
organizing and representing knowledge,
and seeking new knowledge.
What Do They Look Like?
Concept maps include:
 Concepts, usually enclosed in circles or
boxes of some type
 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.

Propositions

The combination of two nodes and a
labeled line is called a proposition.


It is the basic unit of meaning in a concept
map
The simplest concept map would be two
concepts connected by a linking word to
form a proposition (Novak & Gowin,
1984, p. 15)

For example, “seeds grow into plants.”

Concept maps, then, purport to
represent some important aspects of a
person's declarative knowledge in a
content domain (e.g., physics).
What is a Concept?
We define concept as a perceived
regularity in events or objects, or records
of events or objects, designated by a label.
 The label for most concepts is a word,
although sometimes we use symbols such
as + or %, and sometimes more than one
word is used.

Propositions are statements about some
object or event in the universe, either
naturally occurring or constructed.
 Propositions contain two or more
concepts connected using linking words
or phrases to form a meaningful
statement.


Sometimes these are called semantic
units, or units of meaning.
Hierarchy

A characteristic of concept maps is that
the concepts are represented in a
hierarchical fashion
with the most inclusive, most general
concepts at the top of the map
 the more specific, less general concepts
arranged hierarchically below.

Cross-Links

Cross-links are an important characteristic of
concept maps.
 These are relationships or links between
concepts in different segments or domains of
the concept map.

Cross-links help us see how a concept in one
domain of knowledge represented on the map is
related to a concept in another domain shown on
the map.
New Knowledge

In the creation of new knowledge, crosslinks often represent creative leaps on
the part of the knowledge producer.
New Knowledge
These two features are important in the
facilitation of creative thinking:
 The hierarchical structure
 The ability to search for and
characterize new cross-links.

Clarifying
We may add specific examples of events
or objects that help to clarify the meaning
of a given concept.
 Normally these are not included in ovals
or boxes


They are specific events or objects and do
not represent concepts.
The Process

Brainstorming


Organizing


On a large sheet of paper, try to come up with an arrangement
(layout)
Linking


Spread out your concepts (Post-It® notes) on a flat surface so
that all can be read easily and, together, create groups and subgroups of related items.
Layout


identify facts, terms, and ideas that you think are in anyway
associated with the topic
Use lines with arrows to connect and show the relationship
between connected items.
Finalizing

convert the concept map into a permanent form that others can
view and discuss.
Context

It is important to begin with a domain of
knowledge that is very familiar to the person
constructing the map.
 Concept map structures are dependent on the
context in which they will be used.


Best to identify a particular problem or question that
one is trying to understand.
This creates a context that will help to
determine the hierarchical structure of the
concept map.

It is also helpful to select a limited domain of
knowledge for the first concept maps
The Focus Question
A good way to define the context for a
concept map is to construct a Focus
Question.
 A question that clearly specifies the
problem or issue the concept map
should help to resolve.


Every concept map responds to a focus
question, and a good focus question can
lead to a much richer concept map.
Beginning the Map
Given a selected domain and a defined
question or problem in this domain, the
next step is to identify the key concepts
that apply to this domain.
 Usually 15 to 25 concepts will suffice.

Parking Lots
We refer to a list of concepts waiting to
be added to a concept map as the
parking lot of concepts.
 The starting point for the construction of
the concept map can be a list of
concepts that the teacher wants to make
sure all students include in their map.

Parking lot of Ideas

We then start with the most general
concept and work toward the most
specific adding connecting arrows and
linking words.
Note: Not all the words in the parking lot were used,
and these are yet to be added.
The Process

Brainstorming


Organizing


On a large sheet of paper, try to come up with an arrangement
(layout)
Linking


Spread out your concepts (Post-It® notes) on a flat surface so
that all can be read easily and, together, create groups and subgroups of related items.
Layout


identify facts, terms, and ideas that you think are in anyway
associated with the topic
Use lines with arrows to connect and show the relationship
between connected items.
Finalizing

convert the concept map into a permanent form that others can
view and discuss.
What is a Good Concept Map

Accuracy and Thoroughness. Are the concepts and
relationships correct? Are important concepts
missing? Are any misconceptions apparent?
 Organization. Was the concept map laid out in a way
that higher order relationships are apparent and easy
to follow? Does it have a title?
 Appearance. Was the assignment done with care
showing attention to details such as spelling and
penmanship? Is it neat and orderly or is it chaotic and
messy?
 Creativity. Are there unusual elements that aid
communication or stimulate interest without being
distracting?
Seasons
“Why do we have seasons?”
 Only eleven concepts, properly
organized are needed to understand why
we have seasons,


One arrangement of these concepts is
shown in the Figure.
Proposition: Without the industrial chemical reduction
of atmospheric nitrogen, starvation would be rampant
in third world countries.
Starvation
and Famine
FOOD
Deprivation leads to
Can be
limited by
Predicted by
Malthus 1819
Eastern
Europe
Population Growth
and
Contains
Climate
Such as in
Requiring more
Required
for
Protein
Politics
Human Health
and Survival
Includes
Essential Amino Acids
Economics
and
India
Made
by
Distribution
Animals
Grains
Legumes
Africa
Agricultural Practices
Eaten
by
Such as
Such as
Plants
Pesticides
Genetics &
Breeding
Herbicides
Fertilizer
Atmospheric N2
Haber
Process
NH3
Used for
Irrigation
Which significantly
supplements naturally
Required for
growth of
Possess
Symbiotic Bacteria
“Fixed” Nitrogen
That produce
Monarch Butterfly Example

Where do we start?
Word brainstorm
Monarch butterfly
Food source
generations
flowers
milkweed
north
metamorphosis
Fall migration
direction
temperature
instinct
Mexico
south
chrysalid
day length
Fall
February
Mountain top caterpillar
egg

What is next?
Either way, start to build the map by
making relationships between the words
development
Mexico
and
pesticide
migration
insect
Missouri
Monarch butterfly
habitat
caterpillar
metamorphosis
milkweed
chrysalid
Parts of the concept map
development
Mexico
and
pesticide
migration
insect
Missouri
Monarch butterfly
habitat
caterpillar
metamorphosis
milkweed
chrysalid
agriculture
development
logging
East Coast
Mexico
spring
pesticides
migration
fall
Oyamel fir
Three body parts
Monarch butterfly
habitat
Roosts in
herbicides
insect
eggs
milkweed
Butterfly gardens
metamorphosis
caterpillar
Problems?

What might be some things that could be
improved with this concept map?
Sources
http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/Resear
chPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyi
ngConceptMaps.htm
 http://www.udel.edu/chem/white/teaching
/ConceptMap.html
