1. Concept Mapping as a Window into Student Understanding Biology Scholars Program SoTL Institute July, 2008 William Cliff Department of Biology Niagara University

2. What type of learning is required of students of biology? Meaningful Learning −New concepts are linked to existing knowledge in a highly integrated framework of ideas Rote Learning −New concepts are minimally linked to existing knowledge and are stored in an arbitrary, verbatim and nonsubstantive fashion

3. A 2D node-link-node diagram that depicts the most important concepts and propositions in a knowledge domain A network of propositions where related concepts are interlinked by labeled lines What is a Concept Map?

4. Concept Map of Concept Mapping Modified from: Novak JD & Canas AJ (2006) http//cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/Research Papers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

5. How can Concept Maps Be Used for Teaching and Learning? Student Learning Individual or Collaborative Assignments Singular or Sequential Maps Instruction Global or Integrative Perspective Expert Models or Templates

6. Mapping Tasks Fill-in skeleton map −Fill-in nodes (concepts) −Fill-in links (verbs) −Selected or free response Self generated −Concepts provided −De novo

7. How can Concept Maps be Evaluated or Scored? Holistically or qualitatively Quantitatively by scoring rubrics −Structural Complexity −Content Validity Comparison with expert maps

8. Scoring Concept Maps

9. Benefits of Concept Mapping for Students Promotes consolidation of context- embedded knowledge Promotes integrative learning Provides scaffolding for learning Aid or alternative to expository writing Offers opportunity for metacognition

10. Advantages of Concept Mapping for Instructors Makes visible the complex structure of student’s declarative knowledge Uncovers student misconceptions Reveals student conceptual change

11. Further Resources Field-Tested Learning Assessment Guide www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/flag/cat/catframe J. Mintzes and W. Leonard, eds. Handbook of College Science Teaching. NSTA Press, 2006.