1. Concept Mapping
Developing Critical Thinking Skills
MEDA5400 - Spring, 2012
Michelle Childress, M.S. Ed.

2. Brief History of Concept Maps
From wikipedia--
Concept mapping is a technique for visualizing the relationships among different
concepts. They are a diagram showing relationships through connections with
labeled lines or arrows. The relationship are articulated by linking phrases, e.g.
‘gives rise to,’ ‘results in’, ‘is required by’ or ‘contributes to.’
The techniques of concept mapping was developed by Joseph D. Novak and his
research team at Cornell University in the 1970s as a means of representing the
emerging science knowledge of students. It has subsequently been used as a
tool to increase meaningful learning in other subjects as well as to represent
expert knowledge of individuals and teams in education, government, and
business.

3. Brief History of Concept Maps
Concept maps have their origin in the constructivism learning movement. This
theory holds that learners actively construct knowledge. Novak’s work is based
on the cognitive theories of David Ausubel (assimulation theory), who stressed
the importance of prior knowedge in being able to learn new concepts.

4. What is Concept Mapping?
• organization and visualization of information
on a subject or project in one place
• assimilation of new information with previous
knowledge to increase understanding of a
topic
• creation of a visual reference to aid in the
retention of knowledge

5. What is Concept Mapping?
A true concept map must include:
– core concepts - usually enclosed in circles or boxes
– relationships illustrated by lines and arrows connecting
concepts AND by propositions or statements on those lines
that explain the nature of the relationship
Books
binding
pages
are made of

6. Types of Concept Maps
There are four major categories of concept maps:
1. “spider” - organized by placing the central theme
or unifying factor in the center with outwardly
radiating sub-themes
2. “hierarchical” - presenting information in a
descending order of importance; most important
information is at the top and other ideas are
placed beneath by their importance of association
with the theme

7. Types of Concept Maps
3. “flowchart” - organizes information in a linear
format
4. “systems” - organizes information in a format
which is similar to a flowchart with the addition
of ‘INPUTS’ and ‘OUTPUTS’

8. Concept Mapping
as a Graphic Organizer
represents uses
highlights
has has
are connected to are used as
research from the
University of West
Florida

9. Uses for Concept Maps
• assessing student understanding for new
content; demonstrating valid understandings and
misconceptions
• planning tool for group collaboration through
brainstorming and structuring information
relevant to a topic
• effective planning technique for visually
representing the structure of information
• creates effective data for research to analyze
how groups respond to and perceive something

10. Ways Concept Maps work:
• useful for brainstorming, collaborating, understanding and
innovating
• allows for the connections of new concepts to old concepts
• allows for the reorganization of knowledge in ways
unthoughtof previously; create new relationships
• makes explicit descriptions of concepts and connections
between information
• facilitates deeper processing of knowledge--promoting,
retrieving, and applying
• proves that a sematic ‘web’ of information is evolving
continually

11. Advantages of Using Concept Maps
• links between ideas and information to create
relationships
• information organization in a hierarchy form; one
topic and relationships with smaller ideas
• communication of content information without
the timely process of writing too much
“ the ‘longitude’ of concepts will be characteristic of thought processes while ‘latitude’ will
be characteristics of their objective reference. These ‘coordinates’ of a concept determine all
relations of the given concept to others, i.e., to its coordinate, superordinate, and
subordinate concepts.” (Vygotsky, Thought and Language, p.199-200)

12. Components of a Concept Map
Nodes/boxes represent concepts
 nouns, noun phrases
Links (lines) represent relationships between
concepts (verbs)
Labels: the linking word(s) or phrases signify
the relationships between two linked
concepts
Propositions: meaningful statements with
two or more linked concepts

13. Research and Concept Mapping
represents uses
highlights
has has
are connected to are used as
Prior knowledge is a major factor in acquiring new
knowledge--
•Understanding involves organizing/re-organizing
knowledge around core concepts
• Learning involves metacognition or understanding
how to connect prior and new knowledge (Bransford, et al, 2000)

14. Concept Maps can be:
a product, or visual organizers that present
the conceptual structure of knowledge (big
ideas, core concepts and relationships) in an
hierarchy
a strategy, which can organize and represent
conceptual understanding
an assessment tool, or a dynamic interactive
tool to gauge and support student learning
and expository writing

15. Simple Steps for Creation:
 Select the domain and focus
 Set up “parking lot” and arrange the concepts
 Begin to link the concepts
causal (leads to, produces)
explanation (is a reason for)
nominal (known as)
property (consists of, has)
procedure (results in, done by, way to do)
probable (likely, always)
event (comes before)
 Refine the concept map
 Look for new relations and further refine
 Build the knowledge model

16. Development Guidelines
 Guidelines should be detailed and explicit for
students
 Concept maps for language learners are best
constructed in small groups
 Use post-it notes, large sheets of paper, note
cards or software on the computer (such as
Inspiration, Cmap Tools)
 Can be a dynamic tool (if using the computer)
beyond the initial page of information as new
concepts are learned
 Should be constantly modified as knowledge is
expanded
 Should reflect individual thought process/patterns

17. Development Considerations
Don’t try to organize concepts while simultaneously
brainstorming all the ideas you consider important
Don’t worry if you have too many concepts; you
can always delete some later
Ask the group what is the general organizing
concept or subsuming concept that could serve to
organize the topic or group of ideas--place that
concept on top of the map
Select the next layer of major concepts that
organize (or categorize) the topic into broad
subtopics

18. Concept Maps as Assessments
 use as a pre-assessment for prior knowledge of
content area vocabulary/concepts
 assess content-area reading comprehension
 assess how new concepts relate to previously
taught concepts
 use as an organizer for an essay or speech
presentation
 use as an independent study tool or preparation
for tests
 use as a quick check - visual representation and
review of concept relationships

19. Differences Between
Graphic Organizers and Concept Maps
Graphic Organizers
• can show more relationships between
ideas than just hierarchy
• design and shapes suggest
relationships; but this is limiting to
creating new ideas
• can be visually more appealing
• less flexible than concept maps due to
the shape determining the
relationships being made
• can help younger students focus on
fewer relationships for gaining new
knowledge
• are more simple to use than creating
concept maps; but thinking processes
are less emphasized
• there are hundreds of these organizers
which have already been created
Concept Maps
• are a graphical tool which shows many
relationships between a large group of
ideas
• demonstrate a hierarchy with a main
concept at the top of the visual creation
• show links (propositions) between many
many different concepts with lines
• show the relationships between a large
amount of information or ideas
• invite the user to see new ideas using
the relationships in the information
• do not highlight or create only one type
of relationship
• are more difficult to learn how to create
and use, but are a more powerful,
flexible tool than a graphic organizer

20. Use PowerPoint to Create a Concept Map
Step 1 - Start by inserting a shape in the center of a slide.
Right-click on the shape to format it for color, add a text
box, and resize it as desired.
Main Idea

21. Use PowerPoint to Create a Concept Map
Step 2 - Brainstorm a list of all possible items to include in the final
map. Highlight all the large topics and place them around the
center graphic. Insert arrows to connect the shapes.
Main Idea
Large Topic
Large Topic
Large Topic

22. Use PowerPoint to Create a Concept Map
Step 3 - List subtopic which are part of any of the large topics.
Place these subtopics into the next set of circles or graphics near
the large topic graphics they are related to. Draw lines to connect
these subtopics to their large topics.
Main Idea
Large Topic
Large Topic
Large Topic
subtopic subtopic

23. Use PowerPoint to Create a Concept Map
Step 4 - Use propositions/connection statements to show how the
large topics are related to subtopics and each other as well as the
main idea.
Main Idea
Large Topic
Large Topic
Large Topic
subtopic subtopic
connection statement
connection statement connection statement
connection statementconnection statement

24. Non-examples of Concept Maps
represents uses
highlights
has has
are connected to are used as
A flow or organization chart of a process which has no
proposition statements explaining the relationships
between the stages:

25. Non-examples of Concept Maps
represents uses
highlights
has has
are connected to are used as
Story Webs (graphic organizers) which analyze literary
elements (plot, characterization, theme), dissect
characters, plots and sequence of events, to learn
about composition:

26. Non-examples of Concept Maps
represents uses
highlights
has has
are connected to are used as
A mind map is similar to a concept map and has a
central topic. Main themes are noted on “branches”
and then expand into
details. Prepositions,
which explain
relationships between
concepts, are not
included:

27. Strategies for Classroom Use
Create fill-in-the-blank maps from a list of
concepts to help students consolidate
understanding of concepts and relationships
amongs them.

28. Strategies for Classroom Use
Create partial fill-in-the blank maps for quick
assessments.

29. Strategies for Classroom Use
Fill in the prepositions on a concept map.
SOUND
speed
v
longitudinal
wave
General
Chuck Yeager
Bell X-1
October 17,
1947
Muroc Dry Lake
Beds, CA
Edwards AFB
wave length
frequency
f
frequencies
20-20,000 Hz
human
hearing
15-50,000 Hz
canine
hearing
bat hearing
1000-150,000 Hz
Wave
Equation
Yeager's wife
"Glamourous
Glennis"
Dr. Paul M. Rutherford
Instructor
Lee's Summit Technology
Academy
Lee's Summit, MO

30. Strategies for Classroom Use
Fill in the prepositions on a concept map.
at
now known as
on
named
after
is a
was first
broken by
in a
the range of the range of the range of
which is called
the
whose
of
travels in
SOUND
speed
v
longitudinal
wave
General
Chuck Yeager
Bell X-1
October 17,
1947
Muroc Dry Lake
Beds, CA
Edwards AFB
wave length
frequency
f
frequencies
20-20,000 Hz
human
hearing
15-50,000 Hz
canine
hearing
bat hearing
1000-150,000 Hz
Wave
Equation
Yeager's wife
"Glamourous
Glennis"
Dr. Paul M. Rutherford
Instructor
Lee's Summit Technology
Academy
Lee's Summit, MO

31. Concept Map Resources
Not all of these are true concept map tools, but still are
good for initial brainstorming sessions.
 Bubbl.us (free, Web 2.0)
 Cmap tools (free sofware)
 Inspiration software (free trial; fee based)
 Kidspiration software (free trial; fee based)
 Mindmeister (free, Web 2.0)
 Webspiration (free trial)

32. Concept Map Lesson Plan Assignment
1. Review the MEDA5400 ConceptMapping PPT (attached in D2L)
2. Read the article The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to
Construct Them, Novak (attached in D2L)
3. Save a copy of the Concept Map Lesson Plan template to your computer
to use in completing this week’s assignment. (attached in D2L)
4. Review the Concept Map Lesson Plan Rubric (attached in D2L)
5. Review the sample Lesson Plan and concept map image (attached in
D2L)
6. Create a lesson plan on any subject/topic which incorporates technology
based concept mapping. Include a sample of the concept map you
would guide your students to create. Drop both parts of this assignment
in the D2L dropbox by the due date on your course syllabus.

33. Resources
• Bransford, J. et al. (2000) How People Learn: Brain,
Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition.
Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
• Vygotsky, L. (1962) Thought and Language.
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.