Concept Maps and Mindmaps

Concept Maps

Concept maps are tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts or propositions, indicated by a connecting line between two concepts. Words on these lines can be used to specify the nature of the relationships between different concepts.

Concept mapping can be used for for a number of different purposes

to generate ideas (e.g. brain storming)
to design a complex structure
to communicate complex ideas
to illustrate the relationships between different components or processes
to aid learning by explicitly integrating new and old knowledge
to assess understanding
or diagnose misunderstanding

Concept Mapping - the Background

The concept mapping technique was originally developed by Prof. Joseph D. Novak at Cornell University in the 1960s. This work was based on the theories of David Ausubel, who stressed the importance of prior knowledge in being able to learn about new concepts. Novak concluded that "Meaningful learning involves the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing cognitive structures".

An important characteristic of concept maps is the inclusion of "cross-links." These are relationships between concepts or ideas in different parts of the concept map. These cross-links help us to visualize how knowledge or information represented in different parts of the map are related to each other. In the creation of new knowledge, the creation of cross-links often represent creative leaps on the part of the knowledge producer.

Concept maps have been used in a wide variety of different disciplines including education, policy studies and the philosophy of science. Concept maps provide a visual representation of knowledge structures and arguments. They provide a complementary alternative to natural language as a means of communicating knowledge. In many disciplines various forms of concept map are already used as formal knowledge representation systems, e.g. PERT charts in operations research. In education, cognitive learning theory led to developments of a system of concept maps that has been widely applied in the evaluation of students' learning in the school system.

Mind Mapping® is a related technique, invented (and copyrighted) by Tony Buzan in the UK. He describes mind maps as: "a mind map consists of a central word or concept, around the central word you draw the 5 to 10 main ideas that relate to that word. You then take each of those child words and again draw the 5 to 10 main ideas that relate to each of those words."

The main difference between concept maps and mind maps is that a mind map tends to have a single main concept, while a concept map may have several related and interconnecting ideas, themes or topics. As a result of this difference, a mind map can be represented as a "tree", whilst a concept map may need a more complex network -or web - to fully represent the ideas contained within it.

A simple Concept Map showing some of the important topics that one might consider for the central theme of "SmallStock".

Webs

Webs are very similar to Concept Maps and are visual maps that show how different categories of information relate to one another. Webs provide structure for ideas and facts and give students a flexible framework for organizing and prioritizing information. Typically, major topics or central concepts are at the centre of the web. Links from the centre connect to supporting details or ideas.

Causal Diagrams, or Scored Causal Diagrams (SCDs)

Conceptually similar to Concept Maps are Causal Diagrams. Causal diagramming is a technique which has begun to be used by PRA practitioners and helps the farmer and researcher together to identify the linkages and relationships between different problems. Scored causal diagramming helps to clarify the nature of each problem more exactly and to identify the root causes or problems which need to be addressed, and their relative importance. This also helps in identifying possible key solutions and the knock-on effects of those solutions. For more information on Scored Causal Diagramming see the report by Galpin et al. (2000).

Creating Concept Maps

A concept map can be considered as being similar to a an organization chart or a flow diagram. The most useful form of a concept map for both teaching and learning is one that has a hierarchical organization with the more general and more inclusive concepts at the top of the map and the more and specific ones towards the bottom. One can also start in the centre and work outwards.

Concepts do not exist in isolation. Each concept depends on one or more relationships to others. A concept map depicts both the hierarchy and relationships among concepts. It demands clarity of meaning and integration of important details. The process of constructing a concept map requires one to think in multiple directions and to switch back and forth between different levels. In attempting to identify the key and associated concepts of a particular topic or sub-topic, one will usually acquire a deeper understanding of the topic and clarification of any prior misconceptions. To the user of a concept map, this ability to switch between different levels and between different concepts or ideas represents an important advantage over more traditional "flat" mechanisms of presenting information. One is made aware of both the complexity and the detail, and it is less easy to "forget" about important aspects of a particular problem, perhaps because it is not within the user's main field of expertise.

One big advantage of using concept maps is that it provides a visual image of the concepts under study in a form which can be focused on very easily. They can be relatively easily be revised when required. During the formulation process the concept map brings together the understanding of the meanings and relationships between a wide range of ideas. It therefore makes learning or communicating ideas and new information an more active process, not a passive one.

Steps in Constructing Concept Maps

Select or Focus on a theme and then identify related key words or phrases. What is the central word, concept, question or problem around which to build your diagram or concept map? What are the concepts, ideas, descriptive words or important questions that you can associate with the main concept, topic, question or problem?
Rank the concepts (key words) from the most abstract and inclusive to the most concrete and specific.
Cluster concepts that function at similar level of abstraction and those that interrelate closely.
Arrange concepts in a diagrammatic representation.
Add linking lines and where appropriate label lines with a qualifying word or phrase.
Groups of people can work together on a concept map - this is a good way to "brainstorm" a problem or idea. This technique can also be used in participatory approaches.

References and Further Reading

Ausubel, D.P. (1968). Educational Psychology: A Cognitive View. New York, Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Cañas, A.J., Leake, D.B. and Wilson, D.C. Managing, Mapping and Manipulating Conceptual Knowledge. AAAI Workshop Technical Report WS-99-10: Exploring the Synergies of Knowledge Management & Case-Based Reasoning, AAAI Press, Menlo Calif, (July 1999).
Concept Maps: A Theoretical Note on Concepts and the Need for Cyclic Concept Maps
Concept Maps: CmapTools web site (http://cmap.ihmc.us/)
Galpin, M., Dorward, P.T. and Shepherd, D.D. (2000). Participatory Farm Management methods for agricultural research and extension: a training manual. Department for International Development and The University of Reading. pp 112.
Mind Mapping web site (http://www.mind-map.com/)
Mind Maps - a powerful alternative to conventional note taking. (A brief general article on how to make concept maps) (http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm)
Novak, J.D. (1977). A Theory of Education. Ithaca, Illinois, Cornell University Press.
Novak, J.D. and Gowin, D.B. (1984). Learning How To Learn. New York, Cambridge University Press.