A Concept Mapping Primer: An Idea Management Perspective

By Tojin T. Eapen

A concept map is a visual tool used to represent the relationships between various concepts and ideas. It is a type of diagram that shows the connections between different concepts, using labeled lines or arrows to indicate the relationships between them. Concept maps can be used to organize and represent knowledge, to stimulate thinking and discussion, and to help students learn and understand complex ideas.

Joseph Novak (b. 1932)

Joseph Novak is widely credited with the development of the concept map as an analytical tool. Novak was a professor of education and biological sciences at Cornell University from 1967 to 1995. During his time at Cornell, he conducted extensive research on the use of concept mapping as a learning and teaching tool, and developed a number of techniques and strategies for creating and using concept maps effectively.

Novak's work on concept mapping has had a significant impact on the field of education, and his techniques and strategies have been widely adopted by teachers and educators around the world. His development of the concept map as an analytical tool has also been influential in other fields, including psychology, biology, and business.

Joseph Novak was a strong advocate for the use of concept mapping as a teaching and learning tool, and he believed that it could be effective even with very young students. In his research, Novak found that students as young as six years old were able to create concept maps to represent their understanding of complex concepts and ideas.

For example, Novak might have asked his young students a focus question such as "What is water?" or "What causes the seasons?" The students would then be asked to think about the concept and come up with a list of related ideas, such as the properties of water, the different states of matter, or the movements of the Earth around the sun. They would then use these ideas to create a concept map, using labeled lines or arrows to show the relationships between the different concepts.

Novak's approach to teaching with concept maps was based on the idea that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, rather than simply being passive recipients of information. By asking students to create concept maps to represent their understanding of a concept, Novak was helping them to organize their thoughts and ideas, and to develop a deeper understanding of the concept itself. This approach has been shown to be effective in promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and other important skills, and has been widely adopted by teachers and educators around the world.

Concept maps have their origins in the learning movement known as constructivism, which is based on the idea that learners actively construct knowledge. Constructivists believe that learners are not passive recipients of information, but are instead active participants in the learning process, and that they build their own understanding of the world based on their experiences and interactions with it.

Theoretical Basis

David Ausubel (October 25, 1918 – July 9, 2008)

Joseph Novak's work on concept mapping is closely aligned with this constructivist approach to learning. Novak was heavily influenced by the cognitive theories of David Ausubel, who emphasized the importance of prior knowledge in the learning process. According to Ausubel, "the most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly."

Based on this idea, Novak believed that concept maps could be an effective tool for helping students to connect new information to what they already know. By using a concept map to represent their understanding of a topic, students can see the relationships between different ideas and concepts, and can use this information to build a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the topic. In this way, concept maps can help students to actively construct their own knowledge, rather than simply receiving it from their teacher or from a textbook.

Rote Versus Meaningful Learning

Rote learning is a simple and often ineffective method of learning that involves memorizing information without any effort to understand or make connections to existing knowledge. Rote learning is typically associated with the repetition of facts or information, often through the use of flashcards or other similar methods.

In contrast, meaningful learning is a more effective and efficient way of learning that involves making connections between new concepts and propositions and the learner's existing knowledge. This type of learning is based on the idea that people are more likely to remember and understand new information if they can relate it to what they already know.

According to Joseph Novak, meaningful learning is the process of relating new concepts and propositions to existing knowledge. Novak argued that this approach to learning is more effective than rote learning, because it allows learners to make connections between different ideas and concepts, and to build a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Rote learning is a simple and often ineffective way of learning, while meaningful learning is a more effective approach that involves making connections between new information and the learner's existing knowledge.

Making a Concept Map

The process of making a concept map typically involves the following steps:

1. Identify the key concepts related to the topic or idea being studied. This may involve brainstorming or conducting research to generate a list of relevant concepts.
2. Connect related concepts using arrows or arcs. These lines or arrows should show the relationships between the different concepts, such as cause and effect, similarity, or opposition.
3. Describe the relationship between the concepts. This may involve using labels or annotations to indicate the nature of the relationship, such as "causes" or "is similar to."
4. Cluster similar concepts together. This helps to organize the concept map and to make it easier to understand and interpret.
5. Introduce new concepts based on new knowledge or information. As the learner gains a deeper understanding of the topic, they can add new concepts to the concept map to reflect this increased knowledge.
6. Order and rearrange the concepts from general to specific, or vice versa. This helps to clarify the relationships between the concepts and to show how they fit together to form a coherent whole.
7. Identify any new or unknown relationships between the concepts. As the learner continues to learn and think about the topic, they may discover new connections or relationships between the concepts that were not previously apparent. These can be added to the concept map to reflect the learner's increased understanding of the topic.

Constructing a Parking Lot

In concept maps, the "parking lot" is a designated area on the map where concepts or ideas that have not yet been fully integrated into the existing map can be temporarily placed. This allows the creator of the map to keep track of these concepts and ideas and consider how they might fit into the overall structure of the map at a later time. The parking lot is typically located on the periphery of the map, and it can be used to store concepts that are related to the main theme of the map but are not yet fully developed or understood.

According to Novak (2018), the use of the parking lot in concept maps can be particularly useful when the map is being used as a tool for learning or problem-solving. By allowing the creator of the map to place concepts in the parking lot, the map can be used as a way of organizing and synthesizing new information, even if that information has not yet been fully integrated into the existing structure of the map.

Overall, the parking lot is an important feature of concept maps because it allows the creator of the map to be flexible and adaptable as they learn and explore new ideas and concepts. By using the parking lot, the creator can capture and organize new information as it becomes available, and can then integrate it into the existing structure of the map as they continue to learn and develop their understanding of the topic.

Ten Applications of Concept Mapping in Idea Management

Some of the applications of concept maps in idea management include:

• Decomposing and studying existing systems: Concept maps can be used to break down complex systems or processes into their constituent parts, and to understand the relationships between those parts. This can be helpful when studying existing systems and identifying areas for improvement.
• Identifying system and user insights systematically: By visually mapping out the relationships between different concepts, concept maps can help to identify patterns and trends that might not be immediately apparent. This can be useful for uncovering insights about systems or users that can inform decision-making or product development.
• Detailing ideas: Concept maps can be used to organize and structure information clearly and logically. This can be helpful in communicating complex ideas to others. It can be used to systematically add details to an existing idea.
• Locating structural holes and opportunities: By mapping out the relationships between different concepts, it can be easier to identify gaps or missing connections that might represent opportunities for innovation or improvement.
• Incorporating new knowledge structures: Concept maps can be used to integrate new information or ideas into existing knowledge structures, helping to expand and enrich understanding of a particular topic.
• Sparking new concepts: By visually representing the relationships between different concepts, concept maps can help to inspire new ideas or connections that might not have been apparent before.
• Evaluating ideas by considering interactions between different concepts: Concept maps can be used to consider the implications and potential consequences of different ideas by examining how they might interact with other concepts.
• Analyzing the implementation of ideas in a structured manner: By mapping out the steps and dependencies involved in implementing an idea, concept maps can help to identify potential challenges or bottlenecks and to plan for their resolution.
• Evaluating reasons for the success or failure of ideas: By creating a concept map of the factors involved in the success or failure of an idea, it can be easier to identify the root causes of those outcomes and to learn from them.
• Storing ideas for archival and further refinement: Concept maps can serve as a visual record of ideas, which can be useful for reviewing or revisiting those ideas at a later date. They can also be useful for tracking the evolution of an idea over time and for identifying areas for further refinement.

References

• Afamasaga-Fuata, Karoline (2009), Concept mapping in mathematics, Springer.
• Cañas, Alberto J., Greg Hill, Roger Carff, Niranjan Suri, James Lott, Gloria Gómez, Thomas C. Eskridge, Mario Arroyo, and Rodrigo Carvajal (2004), "CmapTools: A knowledge modeling and sharing environment,", Concept Maps: Theory, Methodology, Technology, Proc. of the First Int. Conference on Concept Mapping, Pamplona, Spain.
• Novak, Joseph D. (2010), Learning, creating, and using knowledge: Concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations, Routledge.
• Novak, J. D. (2018), "A search to create a science of education: The life of an Ivy League professor, business consultant, and research scientist," Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, FL. (Link: https://www.ihmc.us/files/JNovak-ASearchToCreateAScienceOfEducation)
• Novak, Joseph D., and Alberto J. Cañas. "The theory underlying concept maps and how to construct them." Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition 1, no. 1, 1-31.
• Rogers, E. W., & Fillip, B. (2016, April). Mapping Lessons Learned to Improve Contextual Learning at NASA. In APQC''s 2016 Knowledge Management Conference (No. GSFC-E-DAA-TN29819).
• Vanides, Jim, Yue Yin, Miki Tomita, and Maria Araceli Ruiz-Primo (2005), "Concept maps," Science Scope 28, no. 8, 27-31.

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