Concept Mapping

Student's benefit:
Improves learning / study efficiency over conventional note taking. Maps are useful because they organize large amounts of information. The maps allow you to see – and to show – how you understand the interrelationships in the information.

Teaching enrichment:
Scientific approaches

Teaching and learning methods:
Research based learning activities

 

Concept mapping can be used to organize related information in a visual manner. Maps can demonstrate clearly and concisely the hierarchical relationships among the topic, main ideas, and supporting details. Mapping can be a way of picturing course content that enhances retrievability of the information, which can be helpful on tests. Maps are useful because they organize large amounts of information.

Mapping can help you to learn actively. Maps can be highly individualized, representing information in a unique and personal way. The maps allow you to see – and to show – how you understand the interrelationships in the information.

1. Select a topic and identify the key concepts.

2. Decide on how to categorize the information: Does something take place over time? Can an idea be broken down neatly into constituent parts? Is there a hierarchical relationship among the elements of the topic or concept?

3. It can be helpful to write each main idea, major heading, or term on a separate, small slip of paper or index card.

4. Move the cards or papers around until the map represents your understanding of the material. You may find yourself adding or discarding cards.

5. Write the info on the cards in boxes you’ve drawn in the same arrangement on a piece of paper.

6. Now connect the boxes with arrows and write along each arrow your description of the relationship between the two boxes.

7 . Software is available for concept mapping.