Syntax of Concept Mapping Four Four well well defi define ned d phase phases s of Conc Concep eptt Mapp Mappin ing g were were evol evolve ved d afte afterr rigo rigoro rous us disc discus ussi sion ons s with with expe expert rts s in the the subje subject ct and and tech techni niqu que e of draw drawin ing g conc concep eptt maps. aps. Thes These e are are Pres Presen enta tati tion on of Ab Abst stra ract ctio ion n Propositional Phase Application and Closure
Phas Phase e I : Pres Presen enta tati tion on of Abst Abstra ract ctio ion n : First First the studen students ts are presented with a definition or a generali!ation. "ince a generali!ation arises from common characteristics of various concepts "econdl# the studen students ts are as$ed as$ed to identi identif# f# variou various s concep concepts ts and sub%co sub%conce ncepts pts.. Thirdl# to enlist the# and lastl# the# are as$ed to provide new and unique examples to judge their understanding of these concepts. Phases II : Propositional Phase : The teacher guides the learners to arrange the concepts hierarchicall# in a deductive manner with the broader concepts placed at the top followed b# less inclusive concepts. These various concepts are lin$ed b# lines and these lines are supp su pple leme ment nted ed b# word words& s&ph phra rase ses s whic which h indi indica cate te mean meanin ingf gful ul relationship among various concepts. Thus the whole concept map is viewed as a networ$ of concepts. Phase III : Application Application : Then the students appl# their $nowledge $nowledge b# citing new examples and reflecting on the present examples Phase IV : Closure : Closure is a point at which the students come to the formal conclusions of the lessons. At the closing stage the students summari!e major ideas involved in the process.
Role of the Concept Maps A concept map is a graphic organizer, which uses schematic representation, hierarchically to organize a set of concepts, connected by mean meanss of word wordss in orde orderr to bu buil ild d mean meanin ingf gful ul stat statem emen ents ts. It sho shows meaningful relationship between concepts in the shape of propositions, and it reveals reveals each student’s student’s comprehens comprehension ion and knowledge knowledge structur structuree (Novak and Gowin, 1999. Novak and Gowin (1999, p. 1 tells us ! concept mapping is a way to help students and educators to see the meanings of learning materials ." It reveals the wa# in which we could assimilate the concept structure with the source of knowledge, on which the map prepares. $hen it is made b# a working working group and being shared shared b# all students, students, it gives color full pleasure pleasure of thei theirr refl refle% e%iv ivee thou though ghtt (Nov (Novak ak and and Gowi Gowin, n, 1999 1999 and and it can can beco become me an e%cel e%celle lent nt proc proces esss of buil buildi ding ng know knowle ledg dgee in a soci social al envi enviro ronm nmen entt that that is
cooperative and constructivist. &o put it briefl#, concept maps are e%cellent tools for a cooperative activit# that will lead to a ver# meaningful learning (Novak, ''. )ut of different t#pes of concept maps, spider concept map ma# be organi*ed b# placing the central concept in the centre of the map and outwardl# radiating sub concepts linked to it and students ma# easil# understand the cause+effect relationships of science b# linking, interlinking, sub concepts and e%amples with the super concept. &heir cognitive structure increases radiall# b# the collaboration of new and old knowledge (eissner, -onassen Grabowski, 199/. 0pider concept map is a multi flow map, in which multiple outcomes found b# the multiple inputs of concepts, sub concepts (errill &enn#son, 1992. In this map, the comple% cause and effect relationships can be e%pressed b# the central event with sub concepts depicted or both sides’ radials help students to branch their knowledge structure in a meaningful wa# (3olloffel &essa, '11. 0imilarl#, the hierarch# concepts ma# represent the information in the descending order of importance. &he most important information is placed on the top and illustrates the downwards classification of the concepts. &he super concepts should be placed in the top and the sub concepts are downwardl# depicted to e%press the total concept in a true manner (4in*e5 6r# Novak, 199. 7 Collaborative and Individual Modes of Concept Mapping )kebukola )gunni#i (198/ studied the learning mode ( e.g. cooperative or individualistic under concept mapping strateg#. &he obective of the stud# was to know the student’s achievement after concept mapping strateg#. &he cooperative learning involved the students working in small heterogeneous abilit# groups while the individualistic mode involves students working alone on an assigned task. &he# found cooperative mode of concept mapping has improved student’s misconception and doubt significantl# more than individual map practices. :ooperative group student’s achievement and retention are much better than individual learner. :randell, 0oderston, 199; compared the effect of collaborative concept mapping on elementar# pre service teachers< an%iet#, efficac#, and achievement in ph#sical science. &he stud# conducted with pre service teachers (n=118, 4> 0cience, indicated that collaborative concept map could lower the an%iet# about learning ph#sical science, lower all the trait an%iet#, and increase science achievement. 4owever, it did not have a significant effect on an%iet# toward teaching ph#sical science, self5efficac#, and outcome e%pectanc#. :hiu, 4uang, :hang, (' studied the collaborative concept mapping process, mediated b# computer. &he subects learned and constructed concept map during instruction and the researchers identified that the four patterns of computer5mediated collaborative concept map should process information? (1
concept introduction@ (' limited concept introduction@ (A less link establishment@ and (/ proposition construction orientation. :ollaborative concept map practice is a useful practice among students. Ban o%tel et al 1992 compared the stud# of collaborative construction of conceptual understanding, interaction processes, and learning outcomes in emerging from a concept mapping and a poster and collaborative concept mp approach is a suitable techniCue for classroom management. 0imilarl#, Gilbert Greene ('' investigated the college students< collaborative use of concept map as inspiration generation to learn educational technolog#. 1D higher education ps#cholog# students were the sample of the stud#. Efter concept map learning among students cooperativel# to educational technolog# the researchers found that the concept maps are most stimulating activit# among the samples. &he cooperative concept map has positive effect on students learning. Inspiration b# the teacher is not directl# influence the achievement of the students but collaborative concept map has directl# promotes meaningful learning. In fact, 3eal#, '1@ Ban o%tel et al '' studied the knowledge maps and their use in computer5based collaborative learning environments. 1A higher education biolog# students are the purposive samples of the stud#. &he purpose of the stud# was to stud# the effect of concept map on achievement of the students through computer based collaborative learning. &he findings of the stud# stated that there e%ists significant difference in achievement scores between collaborative learners and collaborative concept map learners. Constructivist Approach use through Concept Maps 3ostoovich et al '2 observed from their stud# concept map as a constructivist tool for student’s learning and knowledge evaluation. &he# found, concept map might serve as potentiall# useful tool in ph#sics studied among medical students. 0imon, 0chifter, 1991 investigated the using of constructivist approach with online concept map? relationship between theor# and nursing education. &his stud# described an online course that used concept maps and self5reflective ournals to assess student’s thinking processes. &he use of concept map with reflective ournal provided a learning e%perience that allowed students to integrate content consistent with a constructivist paradigm. &his integration is a developmental process influenced b# the personal preferences of students, concept map design, and content comple%it#. &his developmental process provides earl# evidence that the application of concept mapping in the online environment, along with reflective ournal, allows students to make new connections, integrate previous knowledge, and validate e%isting knowledge. 0imilarl#, Eitken Feaker,'8 e%amined concept map as constructivist tool for student’s learning and knowledge evaluation.
&his stud# indicated that, concept mapping might serve as a potentiall# useful tool in ph#sics studies with medical students b# helping them better to understand the underl#ing ph#sics concept. uantitative anal#sis revealed that almost all students in the intervention groups emphasi*ed, concept map stimulates the understanding of the concept@ enables s#stematic repetition of concepts. 4owever, Cualitative anal#sis of students’ answers to the open5t#pe Cuestion highlighted that, concept mapping helped students? s#stemati*e their ph#sic knowledge, develop their conceptual understanding of the nature and structure of ph#sics concepts, and develop their understanding through collaborative learning (4ane# :*erniak, 'A. Concept Map provides Meaningful Learning )kebukola -egede (1988 studied on cognitive preference and learning mode as the determinant of meaningful learning through concept mapping. Ell students on the programme had taken iolog#, :hemistr#, Hh#sics, athematics and >nglish course as their reCuirements. &he primar# t5test revealed no significant difference between the mean pre test scores on achievement of e%perimental and control group. Novak (199 observed from the stud#, concept maps as diagram of two meta5cognitive tools facilitates meaningful learning. &he finding of the stud# indicated that concept mapping is a meaningful strateg# in learning. 0imilarl#, )kebukola (199 studied the effect of concept mapping techniCues on training meaningful learning of concept genetics and ecolog#. )verall result indicated that concept mapping is significantl# better than no treatment, but the two together are significantl# better than either alone. :oncept map serves as a tool to help learners to organi*e their cognitive frame works into more powerful integrated pattern (6raser Edward, 1982@ 0chemid, &elaro, 199.
1.:ooperative hierarchical concept map on chemical reaction