Teach concept mapping through explicit steps: identify key concepts, select a focal concept, arrange and link hierarchically, and label connecting lines¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article details a four-step procedure for introducing concept mapping, following Novak and Gowin. Learners first "identify the key concepts, events, and objects in the material that is to be mapped," then select a focal concept and cluster related concepts, then "arrange and link the focal concept and clusters of related concepts with lines from the most abstract and inclusive to the most concrete and specific," and finally label connecting lines to show valid and meaningful relationships so the map reads in the direction of the arrows. The study's treatment used training and practice phases built on this procedure with ESL students.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Careful reading of the selected material to separate key concepts, events, and objects from the rest of the text.

Constraints¶

• There are no fixed rules for selecting a focal concept; the choice is a personal decision.

Target Learners¶

• ESL students, and learners from elementary school to graduate school

Target Learning Goals¶

• Organizing and meaningfully learning content from text

Affordances¶

• Concept Mapping Meaningful Learning Framework

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Pasana Chularut. (2001). The Influence of Concept Mapping on Achievement, Self-Regulation, and Self-Efficacy in Students of English as a Second Language. Doctoral dissertation, University of Oklahoma. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED3004889