![]() ![]() ![]() This program was based on the learning psychology of David Ausubel (1963 1968 Ausubel et al., 1978). During the course of this study the researchers interviewed many children, and they found it difficult to identify specific changes in the children’s understanding of science concepts by examination of interview transcripts. Normally these are not included in ovals or boxes, since they are specific events or objects and do not represent concepts.Ĭoncept maps were developed in 1972 in the course of Novak’s research program at Cornell where he sought to follow and understand changes in children’s knowledge of science (Novak & Musonda, 1991). There are two features of concept maps that are important in the facilitation of creative thinking: the hierarchical structure that is represented in a good map and the ability to search for and characterize new cross-links.Ī final feature that may be added to concept maps is specific examples of events or objects that help to clarify the meaning of a given concept. In the creation of new knowledge, cross-links often represent creative leaps on the part of the knowledge producer. 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. These are relationships or links between concepts in different segments or domains of the concept map. The concept map may pertain to some situation or event that we are trying to understand through the organization of knowledge in the form of a concept map, thus providing the context for the concept map.Īnother important characteristic of concept maps is the inclusion of cross-links. Therefore, it is best to construct concept maps with reference to some particular question we seek to answer, which we have called a focus question. The hierarchical structure for a particular domain of knowledge also depends on the context in which that knowledge is being applied or considered. (click on the image to display a larger image)Īnother characteristic of concept maps is that the concepts are represented in a hierarchical fashion with the most inclusive, most general concepts at the top of the map and the more specific, less general concepts arranged hierarchically below. Concept maps tend to be read progressing from the top downward. A concept map showing the key features of concept maps. Figure 1 shows an example of a concept map that describes the structure of concept maps and illustrates the above characteristics.įigure 1. Sometimes these are called semantic units, or units of meaning. Propositions contain two or more concepts connected using linking words or phrases to form a meaningful statement. Propositions are statements about some object or event in the universe, either naturally occurring or constructed. The label for most concepts is a word, although sometimes we use symbols such as + or %, and sometimes more than one word is used. We define concept as a perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label. Words on the line, referred to as linking words or linking phrases, specify the relationship between the two concepts. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. ![]()
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