Concept Mapping
Concept Mapping is a way to graphically represent how students think concepts relate and is effective in improving academic achievement (Izci & Akkoc, 2024). It is used in the classroom primarily as an assessment tool but has also been used for learning, instruction, and curriculum planning (McClure et al., 1999). One of the assessment uses for concept mapping is to document how student understanding progresses from the beginning of the course to the end (Machado & Carvalho, 2020).
Creating a Concept Map
Determine the instructional objective for having students complete a concept map. If the purpose is to see how students relate concepts they are learning with each other, then providing a list of concepts will likely be the best starting point. If the purpose is to assess students’ baseline understanding of a more general field, then it will make more sense to give students the topic category and have them come up with the essential concepts.
Prepare Students
Students will likely need some training to be successful in completing a concept map. Coming up with definitions of concepts is much easier than stating connections between two concepts, so students may need a little coaching to help them get the hang of it initially. Provide examples of a couple of concepts and how they relate to each other and explain how to label the links between concepts.
Give students an orientation on the process you would like them to use, whether with index cards, sticky notes, or software. Provide a short tutorial about how to use the software, if applicable. Concept maps can be drawn by hand using a posterboard and pencils. However, using materials that allow students to arrange and re-arrange the concepts while evaluating the information is better. This could be done with online mapping tools or with sticky notes. Students prefer using technology to complete maps (Machado & Carvalho, 2020).
List of Concepts
If students are coming up with the list of concepts, encourage them to brainstorm which concepts are important to the category. Suggest the number of concepts to be included based on how complex you want their map to be. Or, provide the list of concepts if applicable. Have students write or type the concepts on a notecard or square in the software.
For example:
Clustering
Have students group concepts that are similar. If students are working in groups, they can begin to talk through how various concepts relate with each other as they physically move the concept cards.
Continuing with our example:
Identifying and Labeling Relationships
Next, they should label the relationships. The relationship description is either written on a line connecting the two concepts when using software or written on different shapes or with a different color of pen when drawing by hand.
Students create a concept map by themselves, with a partner, or in groups (Trochim, 1989). The list of concepts is either created by the group or provided by the instructor. Students can cluster similar concepts, then arrange each concept and use a labeled connecting line to explain the relationship between each. This process supports students in explicitly acknowledging how concepts that they have already learned are related to new ideas they are learning. Student misconceptions may become visible to the instructor and can lead to correction.
Other Applications
Concept mapping is a good strategy for helping students analyze case studies. Students start by reading the case and then identifying and mapping the key concepts. Next, they discuss the case with a group or as a class. Following the discussion, they will revise the concept map to reflect what they learned and identify the next steps for the case based on their new understanding (Machado & Carvalho, 2020).
Considerations
Students may resist using concept maps if they are used to more passive forms of learning. Helping them understand the purpose of completing the activity can help them push past the discomfort to more fully engage in the process (Machado & Carvalho, 2020).
Students may find it difficult to use software to create concept maps. Providing tutorials and assistance can support them through the process (Machado & Carvalho, 2020).
Assessment
There are several strategies for assessing concept maps. One is to award points for every concept that is accurately labeled with a connection to another. However, Kinchin (2014) acknowledges that more concepts included on a map doesn’t necessarily mean the student included the most pertinent concepts and relational links between concepts. Additional points should be awarded when students include more meaningful concepts or show deeper understanding of relationships between and among various concepts. It might also be useful to approach evaluation of concept maps with qualitative analysis (Kinchin et al., 2000).
References
Izci, E., & Akkoc, E. A. (2024). The impact of concept maps on academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Heliyon, 10(1), e23290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23290
Kinchin, I. M. (2014). Concept Mapping as a Learning Tool in Higher Education: A Critical Analysis of Recent Reviews. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 62(1), 39–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2014.872011
Kinchin, I. M., Hay, D. B., & Adams, A. (2000). How a qualitative approach to concept map analysis can be used to aid learning by illustrating patterns of conceptual development. Educational Research, 42(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/001318800363908
Machado, C. T., & Carvalho, A. A. (2020). Concept Mapping: Benefits and Challenges in Higher Education. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 68(1), 38–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2020.1712579
McClure, J. R., Sonak, B., & Suen, H. K. (1999). Concept map assessment of classroom learning: Reliability, validity, and logistical practicality. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36(4), 475–492.
Trochim, W. M. K. (1989). An introduction to concept mapping for planning and evaluation. Evaluation and Program Planning, 12(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/0149-7189(89)90016-5