Week 7 Post #1
Concept Mapping
I enjoyed exploring the tools from last week on concept mapping. I don't know if anyone else has taken a class from Dr. Jeong, but he loves incorporating concept maps! I feel like I learned a lot in his classes and I think concept mapping really helps. There is a lot of research about this, but there really is something to fleshing out a concept map that solidifies learning. It can really help a learner connect ideas and visualize key concepts. I think collaborative concept mapping can also be very beneficial in small groups. We can learn a lot from others. A lot of times a classmate will have a totally different perspective than me on the same topic and it really opens my eyes. I can envision a lot of ways to use these concept mapping tools in an educational setting. These could be implemented for almost any subject. When have you used a concept map in an educational setting? What are your thoughts?
P.S. I think out of the three that Dr. Dennen shared, I think MindMeister might be my favorite. You?
Hi Lotta, thanks for sharing your thoughts about concept mapping! Among the three mapping tools you mentioned, I've only tried Miro. It's incredibly versatile and offers a wide selection of templates organized by use case. I've used it for several course assignments in ISLT, including a goal analysis for EME5603 using the virtual sticky notes. Unfortunately, with a free account, you can only create three maps before your previous ones become view-only if you want to create more.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to share my experience with concept maps as a student! In Vanessa's qualitative analysis course, we had several options for the final reflection assignment, including essays, videos, and concept maps. I chose to create a concept map to represent what I learned. Initially, it felt daunting, but as I developed the map, I gained a more organized understanding of the concepts and methods from the course. The mapping process also helped me see the connections between different ideas more clearly.
Later, I shared the assessment options from the course, including my concept map, with other graduate TAs during a workshop on learner-centered teaching. Since learning is a personal experience and each student has their unique understanding, allowing students to choose the best way to represent their learning is beneficial. For me, concept mapping proved to be an excellent tool for reflecting and organizing what I had learned.
When I was teaching there was an entire inservice dedicated to concept maps. It was a schoolwide initiative and our principal wanted to see concept maps in every lesson. Trainings continued throughout the year as well. This was back in the day of using chart paper to make our concept maps and then having to find space to display them. There was tremendous benefit in the activity of creating the map though. That makes me wonder, when concept maps are created online is there a way to display them in the classroom? They really did make a powerful display and reinforced concepts with a quick glance at the wall.
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