Concept Maps and Visual Learning © 2007 • Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

 

Concept Maps

 

 

• Concept Maps »

Heirarchical maps including  information about relationships between concepts.

 

• Association Maps »

Non-linear maps using a standard data representation to explore and catalogue relationships between concepts.

 

• Mind Maps »

Visual maps showing simple links between concepts.

 

• Download maps »

  HOME  CONCEPT MAPS   ASSOCIATION MAPS   MIND MAPS   DOWNLOADS   CONTACT

 

 

 

Concept Maps and Cmap Tools

 

A concept map provides a structured way of mapping concepts for a specific concept area, or domain of knowledge. The concept map structure provides additional information about the importance, or generality, of the concepts included, with the most important at the pinnacle of the map and keywords with lesser importance, but providing greater detail lower down.

 

 

 

Mapping concepts in this way helps people who are new to the subject to gain an overview of the key concepts, the way they are linked together, and the overall importance of each concept. The structure looks somewhat like a branching family tree.

 

A concept map must be constructed initially by an expert in the field for which the concept mapping is taking place. This is because a certain level of background knowledge is required to know where in the hierarchical structure to place each concept.  

 

Although people will use the top down structure with annotated links in a fairly general way to indicate relationships. Joseph Novack has developed a detailed structure, language and process for the development of a true concept map. The concept map must requires a context, which may be a question, a text segment, a lab or field activity or a problem and the concept map should solve the problem. Every concept map should have a focus question, and should not deviate from this during its construction.

 

The concept map covers a domain of knowledge which is made up of 15 to 25 key concepts. During construction these key concepts are kept in a parking lot list and are used to construct the concept map by ordering them using a rank value. This rank value is based on two criteria, generality and inclusivity. Once placed on the map, two or more key concepts may be linked via one or more cross-links and these cross-links show a relationship.

 

Development of the concept map requires an expert, who will construct the map by providing the parking lot list of concepts, and by using his or her knowledge to apply the rank value. There is an associated set of cmap tools which can be accessed online and downloaded to assist with the devlopment of a concept map. Cmap tools allow correct placement of the required parts of the concept map. As the concept map is often seen as a finished product where knowledge is shared by an expert with people who are new to a subject, the ability to use the cmap tools to provide a professional finish to the map is important.

 

 

How to draw a concept map

 

To recap. the key artefacts for a concept map are the focus question, the concept list, the ranking criteria, the parking lot list and the concept map. Construction of a concept map requires the expert to identify key concepts, list concepts, rank concepts construct the parking lot list, construct the concept map, identify and add key cross links and finally to review and revise the concept map as necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This website gives an overview of three visual mapping options, concept maps, mind maps, and association maps, to support an understanding of the differences between them, and to help visitors to select the option best suited to their needs.

 

 

The author approaches the topic from a secondary science teaching background, coupled with a spell using graphical mapping techniques to support process modelling in a business environment.