Concepts can be easily moved around with CmapTools, so this placement is just a way to get started.įigure 2. This ranking can be in the form of a list, or an approximate location for some of the concepts on the map can be used, as shown in Figure 2. This rank order is a first approximation of organizing the concepts, but it helps us to begin the process of map construction. The listed concepts in the parking lot can now be ranked into an ordered list from the most general, most inclusive concept, for this particular problem or question at the top, to the most specific, least general concept at the bottom of the list. However, our experience teaching concept mapping has shown us that it is much easier to begin by building hierarchical concept maps, with a single root concept. However, the hierarchical nature does not necessarily imply a physically hierarchical structure, as concept maps can just as well be cyclical (Safayeni et al., 2005) or have more than one root concept. The Focus Question and parking lot: an initial set of concepts for a concept map about Birds.Ĭoncept maps tend to be hierarchical in nature, with more general concepts at top and more specific concepts to the bottom. Important additional concepts might be identified as the map is being built.įigure 1. Some concepts may remain in the parking lot as the map is completed if the mapmaker sees no good connection for these with other concepts in the map. We refer to this list of concepts as a parking lot, since we will move these concepts into the concept map as we determine where they fit in. The easiest way to build this list and to construct a concept map from it is by using a software program such as IHMC CmapTools (Cañas et al., 2004, ). Figure 1 is an example of an initial set of concepts for a concept map about Birds. We recommend using the smallest number of words, usually a single word, for each concept to be entered. from a Concept Mapping Perspective, for an explanation about concepts). Given a selected domain and a defined question or problem in this domain, the next step is to identify the key concepts that apply to this domain (see the companion document, What is a Concept?. It is often stated that the first step to learning about something is to ask the right questions. When learning to construct concept maps, learners tend to deviate from the focus question and build a concept map that may be related to the domain, but which does not answer the question. Every concept map responds to a focus question, and a good focus question can lead to a much richer concept map. It is also helpful to select a limited domain of knowledge for the first concept maps.Ī good way to define the context for a concept 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. This creates a context that will help to determine the hierarchical structure of the concept map. Since concept map structures are dependent on the context in which they will be used, it is best to identify a segment of a text, a laboratory or field activity, or a particular problem or question that one is trying to understand. In learning to construct a concept map, it is important to begin with a domain of knowledge that is very familiar to the person constructing the map. Determining the Context: A Focus Question
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