Theoretical Origins of Concept Maps, How to Construct Them, and Uses in Education

Abstract

Concept maps, as we define them, are graphical tools for organizing and representing relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. Words on the line, referred to as linking words or linking phrases, specify the relationship between the two concepts. Concepts and propositions are usually organized hierarchically, from most general, most inclusive to most specific. It is best to construct concept maps with reference to some particular question we seek to answer, which we have called a focus question. The concept map may pertain to some situation or event that we are trying to understand through the organization of knowledge in the form of a concept map, thus providing the context for the concept map. In this paper we briefly present the origins and theoretical foundations of concept maps, explain how concept maps are constructed, and then show how the integration of concept maps with technology in software such as CmapTools facilitates the implementation of concept map-based learning environments that support our New Model for Education. Last, examples from three domains are used to describe how concept maps can be used to organize content based on the knowledge of domain experts, creating an environment that is easy to navigate for learners. ORIGIN OF CONCEPT MAPS Concept maps were developed in 1972 in the course of Novak’s research program at Cornell University where he sought to follow and understand changes in children’s knowledge of science (Novak & Musonda, 1991). During the course of this study the researchers interviewed many children, and they found it difficult to identify specific changes in the children’s understanding of science concepts by examination of interview transcripts. This program was based on the learning psychology of David Ausubel (1963; 1968; Ausubel et al., 1978). The fundamental idea in Ausubel’s cognitive psychology is that learning takes place by the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing concept and propositional frameworks held by the learner. This knowledge structure as held by a learner is also referred to as the individual’s cognitive structure. Out of the necessity to find a better way to represent children’s conceptual understanding emerged the idea of representing children’s knowledge in the form of a concept map. Thus was born a new tool not only for use in research, but also for many other uses. Figure 1 shows a concept map that illustrates the key features of concept map.