An introduction to concept mapping using Map

1. What can/does concept mapping do for you
(and your students, and your colleagues)?
aka
Visual strategies for learning
Prof Peter Hartley
profpeter1@me.com
1

2. Peter Hartley
Now into my 3rd career:
• Career 1: lecturer.
Academic in Communication Studies
– from lecturer to department head
to Professor of Communication..
• Career 2: educational developer.
National Teaching Fellow.
Professor of Education
Development.
• Career 3: educational consultant.
Visiting Professor at Edge Hill.
External examiner and writer.
Working/ed on: project evaluation,
learning spaces, visual thinking,
assessment strategies etc.
3rd edition, in
development
with Sue Beckingham
Planned for 2021
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https://he.p
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Chapter with Ruth Whitfield in:
https://www.macmillanihe.com
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hartley/?sf1=barcode&st1=978
0230272309
2nd edition
in development with
Sue Beckingham
and Mark Dawson
Due 2020
Now working on:

3. Why bother with concept maps #1
• We all ask students to ‘present and represent’
their understanding of particular topics
and/or issues.
• This means they have to manipulate and
relate concepts.
• We should be showing them different ways of
doing this.
• And we all do it ourselves.

4. A historical
example
(from Disney)

5. Why bother #2
• Students need flexible approaches to their learning.
• Maps (and other images) can make discussion and
comparison quicker and easier than with text.
• Evidence of improvement in performance after
mapping is introduced and used.
• Makes learning/understanding more visible
and easier to share.
• Can monitor/see change over time.

6. Why bother #3
• Mapping techniques now being used in
organisations – possible career implications.
• Software now available with different facilities
(e.g. formats and presentation options) and at
different price levels (including freeware and
free versions of commercial products).

7. Why bother #4
• Mapping approaches are now readily
available on laptops/mobile devices.
• Mapping approaches relatively under-used
and/or neglected,
• e.g. see Jane Hart’s Top 100 tools for Higher Education
for 2019:
• https://www.toptools4learning.com/edu100/
No dedicated tools for either concept mapping or
sketchnoting – some tools for infographics.
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8. Why bother #5
• Potential for research into
student understanding and
development
• Potential for national and
international collaboration –
e.g. international
conference.
http://cmc.ihmc.us
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9. And so?
The case for concept mapping.
• Concept mapping* provides an interesting and useful
way of representing ideas and concepts.
• We can all use concept maps.
• We now have the software to do it (and to share them)
more easily.
* Concept mapping differs from mind mapping.
Mind maps are relatively well-known, but my
interpretation of available evidence is that mind maps do
not offer the learning potential of concept maps.

10. Another positive message
The advantages of concept mapping?
Whilst mind mapping is a helpful study tool that can facilitate
rapid note-taking and the retention of information (Noonan,
2013), concept mapping is a tool that promotes a greater level
of reflection on learning that encourages the student to
uncover the systematic relationships between concepts
(Eppler, 2006). It is this reflective power of concept mapping
that provides potential as a learning tool in higher education
…
Kinchin (2014, page 41)

11. Introducing Concept Maps - Cmap
• Rationale and development.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map
• Software and support.
• http://cmap.ihmc.us
• International community/conference
9

12. Concept map
of concept
mapping.
From:
http://cmap.ihmc.us/docs/concept-
map.php?url=http://cmapskm.ihmc.us/
viewer/cmap/1L2W8S4VP-1T8MH1F-
273G&title=Concept%20Map%20about
%20Concept%20Maps

13. Concept
mapping and
transforming
knowledge.
See Kinchin, 2016
Page 74

14. Components
of concept
maps.

15. Cmap quickstart
• Open software - new map
• Focus question.
• Type in main topic(s).
• Branches/sub-branches (label links).
• Format (use styles).
• Add links/documents.
• Save/print/export.
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16. Different forms of Cmap
• For laptop and/or desktop.
• PC or Mac
• Maps interchange
• For iPad.
• In the Cloud.
• via browser – Safari, Chrome, Firefox.

17. Examples of maps
1. Educational aims.
A very simple map which illustrates basic principles: concepts with specified links.

18. Example 2: using Cmap for diagrams.
The PASS Project – https://www.bradford.ac.uk/pass/
What do we mean by Programme-Focused Assessment (PFA)?
Weighting of the assessment in the final qualification
Varieties of
PFA
Extent to which
assessment
covers all the
specified
programme
outcomes
High
Low High
Weighting of the assessment in the final qualification 18
Integrative semester/
term assessment
Integrative level/
year assessment
Final heavily weighted
integrative assessment
Personal evidence
against programme outcomes

19. Example 3: (Cmap can do ‘mind map’ structures)
Do you PASS?

20. Example 4: Impact of PASS
Another example
of a ‘mind map’ or
‘spider diagram’
structure

21. Example 5:
Notes on
audio
feedback

22. Example 6: LT strategy

23. Example 7: Notetaking
Notes taken at conference presentation

24. Example 8: framework example.

25. Different
ways of
using maps.
See Canas and
Novak at:
http://cmc.ihmc.u
s/cmc2012Procee
dings/cmc2012%2
0-
%20Vol%202.pdf

26. Some useful
recommendations
From:

27. References
• Bryson, J.M., Ackermann, F., Eden, C. and Finn, C.B. (2004) Visible Thinking: Unlocking causal mapping
for practical business results. Chichester: John Wiley.
• Hay, D.B., Kinchin, I.M. & Lygo-Baker, S. (2008). Making learning visible: The role of concept mapping in
higher education. Studies in Higher Education 33 (3), 295-311*
• Hay, D. B., & Proctor, M. (2015). Concept maps which visualise the artifice of teaching sequence:
Cognition, linguistic and problem-based views on a common teaching problem. Knowledge
Management and E-Learning, 7(1), 36-55.
https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/48751615/409_1087_1_PB.pdf
• 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, 39–49.
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/dhe/cpd/weeks/Learning&Teaching%20material%20/Concept%20Mapping
%20as%20a%20Learning%20Tool%20in%20HE%20Article.pdf
• Kinchin, I.M. (2016) Visualising Powerful Knowledge to Develop the Expert Student: A knowledge
structures perspective on teaching and learning at university. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
• Novak, J. D. (2010) Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps as Facilitative Tools in
Schools and Corporations. London: Routledge.
* For a list of further relevant studies, see:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/learningteaching/kli/research/projects/visual-learning-experience.aspx
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