Concept Mapping

Before researching the use of concept maps, I had a very limited understanding of how they could be utilized. In my educational past, I have only used a concept map for a story-web or character analysis and they always took the same form of a main circle in the center and “spider legs” branching out to either a list or another circle. Fortunately, the tired old concept map has had a face-lift and is now equipped to educate new generations of learners in a much richer way. From the University of Wisconsin website, I found a list of 50 ways to use concept maps and my favorites are: Classroom organization chart with associated responsibilities; Concept maps to send home to parents to help explain a unit so they can help their children study/review; Create cause/effect/ solution diagrams to resolve social issues within the classroom; and When studying a poem, in the center concept list the name of the poem and the connecting lines contain phrases from the poem. The sub-concept explains the words in the phrase and the literary technique used such as personification.

The first method of concept mapping as a responsibility chart would be useful for tasks like literature circles where students are assigned specific roles such as note taker, researcher, reporter, and discussion monitor. As a teacher, I could develop a concept map that explains the responsibilities and requirements involved with each role so students understand their positions and how their jobs overlap, enhance, and interact with the other group members. Another method I could take advantage of as a teacher is to make a concept map of a unit or lesson to send home to parents. By giving parents a visual outline of what we will be discussing and how the topics relate to each other, they will be better equipped to help their children study, complete homework assignments, and can even have guided discussions with their child about what they are learning.

A third method I am excited to explore is using concept maps to solve social problems. This huge goal is one that I have wanted to make a focus in my classroom, but I have never been sure how to go about it. By having my students create concept maps of possible solutions, conflicting issues, and multiple perspectives on one social problem, my class will be able to share ideas, brainstorm ways to make changes, and truly reflect on our environmental pressures, limitations, and resources. The final method I discovered was to use a concept map to explain the literary devices used in a poem. Students often have trouble interpreting poetry and understanding what the author did to communicate their message, so creating concept maps that link literary terms with specific examples from a poem would give students a great reference tool.

I also came up with my own idea for using concept maps as a research assignment outline. A project that I want my students engage in is a country report because I feel that learning about other cultures is very important. With a concept map, I can provide students with a visual structure to follow as they assemble their information into a complete project because it would show the major sub-topics to include and provide questions for each of these elements that students should try and answer. In this method, the concept map actually helps students construct a larger project with much more focus, organization, and thoroughness.

Concept mapping software could have a huge impact on students in my English classes in three major ways: 1) comprehending literature, 2) writing essays, and 3) compiling research projects. To enhance their understanding of the plot, characters, and themes in a novel, students can use the software to create maps which chart the story sequence, analyze and compare character traits, or expand on specific themes. When it comes time for students to write an essay on this book, they can use these maps to find thesis statements and supporting details, but they can also use the software to create outlines for their papers. The outline could start with the argument they want to make, and each branch could represent a different body paragraph and include the main examples they will use to prove a point. Lastly, as I have already explained, for culminating projects I can use concept mapping software to give my students a better picture of what is expected of them and stimulate their interest in how ideas relate to one another in a holistic picture.

The use of concept maps in the classroom opens up a new method of reaching students with diverse learning styles and multiple intelligences. For example, when a teacher hands out a concept map to explain an assignment or outline a lesson, visual learners will have a much easier time following procedures. However, its effectiveness may vary depending on whether your learners are linear or non-linear in their visual preferences. To be most effective, a teacher would have to create a more organized version of the map along with the typical webbed format, which would take a considerable amount of time. While concept maps seem to exclude auditory learners, the concept mapping software can make up for this gap because many programs offer an audio feature that will read the information in the map out loud when a student clicks it. Kinesthetic learners can benefit from using the software also because it lets them move pieces around, draw physical connections between elements, and interact with what is normally a static element of instruction. Concept maps are also flexible in terms of intrapersonal and interpersonal learners because students can create them in small groups or individually. Finally, linguistic learners will appreciate the ways in which a concept map shows the relationship between words and relies heavily on language to present information. I can help all of these learners benefit from concept maps and software by letting students create their own maps in any form that they like, by creating multiple arrangements of the elements in my own maps (like a linear outline and a randomly dispersed web), and including blank web spaces for students to add their own insights or points brought up in class discussion.

Perhaps the best feature of concept mapping software is the small learning curve involved in the application. The program was very intuitive and self-explanatory, it was extremely easy to customize and create my own maps. Taking this into consideration, I think it is worth the minimal amount of time it takes to create a map because (as I have thoroughly outlined in the above paragraphs) they can have a great impact on student learning. Additionally, if I was pressed for time, Inspiration’s software had templates that could be filled out in a flash—so there is no excuse not to use them if your students can benefit!

http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/conceptmap/50uses.html