Concept Mapping as a Window into Student

Understanding

Biology Scholars Program

SoTL Institute

July, 2008

William CliffDepartment of Biology

Niagara University

What type of learning is required of students of biology?• Meaningful Learning

−New concepts are linked to existing knowledge in a highly integrated framework of ideas

• Rote Learning−New concepts are minimally

linked to existing knowledge and are stored in an arbitrary, verbatim and nonsubstantive fashion

• A 2D node-link-node diagram that

depicts the most important concepts

and propositions in a knowledge

domain

• A network of propositions where

related concepts are interlinked by

labeled lines

What is a Concept Map?

Concept Map of Concept Mapping

Modified from: Novak JD & Canas AJ (2006) http//cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/Research Papers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

How can Concept Maps Be Used for Teaching and Learning?Student Learning

• Individual or Collaborative Assignments

• Singular or Sequential Maps

Instruction

• Global or Integrative Perspective

• Expert Models or Templates

Mapping Tasks

• Fill-in skeleton map−Fill-in nodes (concepts)−Fill-in links (verbs)−Selected or free response

• Self generated−Concepts provided−De novo

How can Concept Maps be Evaluated or Scored?

• Holistically or qualitatively

• Quantitatively by scoring rubrics−Structural Complexity−Content Validity

• Comparison with expert maps

Scoring Concept Maps

Benefits of Concept Mapping

for Students• Promotes consolidation of context-

embedded knowledge

• Promotes integrative learning

• Provides scaffolding for learning

• Aid or alternative to expository writing

• Offers opportunity for metacognition

Advantages of Concept Mapping

for Instructors

• Makes visible the complex structure

of student’s declarative knowledge

• Uncovers student misconceptions

• Reveals student conceptual change

Further Resources

• Field-Tested Learning Assessment Guide

www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/flag/cat/catframe

• J. Mintzes and W. Leonard, eds. Handbook of

College Science Teaching. NSTA Press, 2006.