CONCEPT MAPPING

Concept maps provide a unique graphical view of how

students organize, connect and synthesis information. They include concepts,
usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationship 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.
Concept maps are developed on the basis of Asubels theory
of meaningful learning. Meaningful learning refers to the concept that the learned
knowledge is fully understood by the individual and that individual knows how that
specific fact relate to other stored facts. According to Ausubel meaningful learning
requires three conditions:
1. The material to be learned must be conceptually clear and presented with
language and examples relatable to the leaners prior knowledge.
2. Leaner must possess relevant prior knowledge.
3. The leaner must choose to learn meaningfully.
Characteristics of concept
Concept are represented in a hierarchical fashion with the most inclusive,
most general topics at the top of the map and the more specific, less general
hierarchically below.
Concept maps is the inclusion of cross-links. These are relationships or links
between concepts in different segments or domains of the concept map.
Cross-links help us see how a concept in one domain of knowledge
represented on the map is related to a concept in another domain shown
on the map.
Concept maps is specific example of events or objects that help to clarify the
meaning of a given concept. Normally these are not included in ovals or
boxes, since they are specific events or objects and do not represent
concepts.

Advantages of concept mapping:

Concept mapping helps creative thinking.

Provides clarity to the concepts involved with each other.
It allows basic information on one page.
It is a good way to work to prepare for the exams.
It is easy to learn, teach and use.
It can be used for assessment.
Concept maps are student centered active methods for students.
It is suitable for many different topics, instructional stage and great level.
It can be used effectively for revision and students are able to rank topics
which they learned and provides easiness to establish a link between topics.
It can encourage student-teacher interaction when they create a map
together by discussing.

The benefits of concept maps:

Concept mapping offers benefits to both student and teachers. Concept
maps give students an opportunity to;
Think about the connections between science terms being learned.
Organize their thoughts and visualize the relationship between key
concepts in systematic way.
The steps of constructing a concept map:
Step 1: To construct a concept map, it is important to define the context. A
good way to define a context for construct map is to construct a focus
question, that is, a question that clearly specifies the problem or issue the
concept map should help to resolve.
Step 2: Identify the key concept in a paragraph, research report, and chapter;
or simply think of the concepts of a subject area and list them.
Step3: From the listed concepts, rank the concepts by placing the broadest
and most inclusive idea at the top of the map.
Step 4: Work down the paper and add more specific concepts and do
hierarchical arrangement of concepts.
Step 5: Connect the concepts by lines. Label the lines with action or linking
words. These links between different domains of knowledge on the concept
map scan help to illustrate how these domains are related to one another.
The connection creates meaning.
Step 6: Specific examples of the concepts can added below the concept
labels. But these are not included in ovals or boxes. They are specific events
or objects and do not represent concepts.
Step 7: A concept map is never finished. After a preliminary map is
constructed, it is always necessary to revise this map. Other concepts can be
added.

Use of concept maps:

As method of learning: concept maps are a useful learning tool in
mathematics. Concept maps can improve understanding of
mathematics concepts and help build connections among abstract
concepts. Concepts maps can also be used as a misconceptioncorrection tool.
As a teaching method: concept maps can help us identify, understand,
and organize concepts we plan to teach. The instructor can present
concept maps to the whole class to highlight key concepts and
connections.
As a curriculum and lesson planning method: in curriculum planning,
concept maps can be enormously useful. The hierarchical organization
of concept maps suggest more optimal sequencing of instructional
material. If concept maps are used in planning instruction and
students are required to construct concepts maps as they are learning
, previously unsuccessful students can become successful in making
sense out of mathematics.
As an evaluation method of students understanding of
mathematical concepts: concept mapping could be a key to
developing strong performance assessments that ought to be
designed to generate both an assessment of how students are
applying concepts and to assess the deep understanding that students
ae gaining.
Kinds of concept mapping
A spider concept map is a kind of map that is used to investigate and
enumerate various aspects of a single theme or topic, helping the students
to organize their thoughts. It looks a bit like a spiders web, hence its name

 The hierarchy concept map presents information in a descending order of

importance. The most important information is placed on the top.
Distinguishing factors determine the placement of the information.

The flowchart concept map organizes information in a linear format

The system concept map organizes information in a format which is similar

to a flowchart with the addition of INPUTS and OUTPUTS