Concept maps.

A Concept map about concept maps!

Concept maps are visual representations of ideas, knowledge and information. There are many different software applications. Some I have looked at are Bubbl.us and Mind2map and IHMC Cmap tools. 

Resourced from (Novak, J.D., Canas, A.J.2006)

I would highly recommend this article to anyone who wants to know more than they should about concept maps.

A Map of PMI.

created with bubble.us

Positives:

• Great for brainstorming.
• Help organise declarative knowledge.
• Can scaffold prior knowledge to new ideas.
• Can be used to evaluate student progress / learning outcomes by comparing changes in sophistication over time.
• Snapshot evaluation of learning outcomes without weighty assessment.
• incredibly easy to use.
• Simple rules for effective use, though complexity can be introduced.
• No cost
• easily printed or uploaded to other media e.g. wiki, blog, glogster.
• excellent for visual learners
• allow students to think deeply by simplifying information construct.
• students can collaborate by sharing maps and realising different associations and points of view so creating constructivist learning
• Aid in cognitive learning by creating simple reference tool.
• can be used in the planning of assignments, projects.
• offers an excellent method of scaffolding self directed learning in the classroom.
• If use bubble maps they can show overlaps and integrations of ideas.
• unlike paper based mapping, computer modelling allows instant revision, colouring and rearranging. An app that could be used for this purpose in a writing sense is  Explain Everything for iPads.

Ideas adapted from Vanides,J.(2005)

Minuses:

• Usually do not include the details.
• May lock students into only one way of seeing.
• May discourage critical thinking if not scaffolded well
• May disadvantage auditory learners
• May not be suitable for some younger learners.
• If used in presentation, referencing may be an issue.

Ideas adapted from: Peg, E. (2013) The disadvantages of concept mapping.

Interesting:

• Concept maps are a deceptively simple tool. I will refer again to Marzano, R.J. & Pickering, D.J.(1997 p.61 - 66) and the use of tools for organising declarative knowledge. As stated in the minuses area of this evaluation there are weaknesses in concept mapping and good pedagogy would require that mapping be used as a part of the greater learning process. 
• The benefits of this tool are very strong and with due consideration to the weaknesses I see this as a tool I will use regularly in my class environments. It provides much of what we are looking for in modern teaching such as student oriented learning that can be easily scaffolded with a tool that is engaging and easily utilised on any mobile device. 
• Class diversity and learning styles need to be considered here and adaptations given to those students that learn in auditory and verbal styles.
• These can be used as a pre-reading task or probably more effectively as a during reading organisation tool.
• I wonder if we could have a hybrid of a concept map and Glogster? The ability to involve more complex information would be a very useful attribute. I will keep searching to see if it is out there. Cmaps has some aspects of this but time has not yet allowed a deeper exploration.

Classroom Safety and Ethics:

Consideration needs to be given to attribution and referencing of information. Monitoring in class contribution and working styles need to considered. Everything students do creates a digital footprint, we must endeavour to create a strong positive footprint. This is a link to a graphical video that may be used to help children see this.

Teaching:

As I have moved through this analysis I have seen that there are a great many positives in the use of concept maps. Good pedagogy needs to be used in consideration of class diversity and individuals different learning styles. Overall there are many opportunities to use this tool across all of the subject KLA's. Teachers can creatively offer varying uses of the tool to prevent student fatigue, maintain engagement and to give deeper and more complex knowledge of aspects of mapping. This all ties into the TPACK model.

Learning theories are acknowledged in aspects of cognitive and constructivist models and an awareness of which model is being used and why would be useful. Structuring activities with Bloom's taxonomy questions may help in this regard.
Although it does not have the bling of some of the other tools we have assessed concept mapping will be a strong and useful tool in student education. 

References:

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., Arredondo, D. E., Blackburn, G. J., Brandt, R. S.,       Moffett, C. A., Paynter, D. E., Pollock, J. E., & Whisler, J. S., (1997) Dimensions of Learning, teachers manual (2^nd ed.) Colorado: McRel.

Novak, J. D. & A. J. Cañas, The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct Them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, 2008, available at: http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf.

Vanides, J., Yin,Y., Tomita,M., Araceli Ruiz-Primo, M. (2005)Using concept maps in the science classroom. National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Science Scope, Vol. 28, No. 8, Summer 2005. Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/SEAL/Reports_Papers/Vanides_CM.pdf (April 2013)