Concept Maps

• What is a Concept Map?
• Structure of a Concept Map
• Advantages of Concept Map Assessment
• Disadvantages of Concept Map Assessment
• More on Concept Mapping - Download the full pdf

WHAT IS A CONCEPT MAP?

A concept map is a hierarchical form of structure diagram that illustrates conceptual knowledge and their relationships within a specific topic from general to specific concepts. It consists of concept labels (aka nodes, cells) which are connected together by lines, these lines are labeled with directions. A concept map is often known as a flow chart, it is widely used in business to gain an insight on the overview and for brain-storming new ideas and developments.

Concept map was developed by Joseph Novak based on the cognitive theories of David Ausubel (Assimilation Theory) who stressed the importance of prior knowledge in order to gain deep learning on new concepts. So by understanding what you already knew, and relating new concepts to what you knew, meaningful deep learning can easily occurs.

STRUCTURE OF A CONCEPT MAP

The core element of a concept map is a proposition, which consists of two or more concepts connected by a labeled link. These propositions are then branched out to form a larger structure that provides the whole picture.

1. To understand the theories and concepts related to the topic.
2. To manage concepts into sub concepts for each group and category.
3. To understand the relationship of each concept, how they are related to each other.
4. To synthesize information, ideas and concepts, and see the whole picture.
5. To encourage creativity (particularly brain-storming) and develop higher-level thinking skills and strategies.
6. To provide teachers feedback of students’ misconceptions and the development of students’ understanding over time.

ADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT MAP ASSESSMENT

• It encourages collaborative learning and team knowledge mapping.
• It allows deep learning.
• “Picture tells a thousand words”; graphic representations are usually easier to understand and retain.
• It can be used in a large class setting either individually or collaboratively, by giving the students a partial filled concept maps, or a few concepts to fill on the maps.
• It mirrors what exactly real business uses and provides the students a sense of the real world.

DISADVANTAGES OF CONCEPT MAP ASSESSMENT

• Students are often not familiar with concept mapping assessment and may find it intimidating.
• Concept mapping is often not graded, it may sometimes be used as a quick assessment in class to check students’ conception on a topic or may be used as an overview of an assessment, this may frustrates some students.
• Guessing – with MCQs there is a possibility of guessing the correct answer, there are numerous methods to penalize students from guessing such as negative marking (not recommended as sometimes produce negative effects to students who know the answers), more options to answers, adopting mathematical strategies to normalise marks, given partial marks to an answer very near to the correct answer.
• Individual feedback can be time-consuming, clear assessment criteria and grading are required for all parties so that students and assessors are fully aware of how the performance will be judged.

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