Concept Mapping Mara Alagic

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping2 How Memory Works? §The brain stores information in memory sites by establishing structural links between synapses (connection between neurons or brain cells) §The number of branches that a neural process makes and the number and efficacy of synapses determine long term memory

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping3 How Memory Works? (2) §Short term memory appears to be stored differently and in a variety of ways §It is believed that a familiar stimulus can set up "harmonics" of memory sites making connections to many other bits of stored information

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping4 Structuring Information §Thinking is a complex process: thoughts may flow or leap or digress and return to the main idea again §If is difficult to follow the presentation if it is not structured so that we can make connections with previous knowledge

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping5 Concept map §Concept mapping arose from Ausubel"s cognitive educational psychology §According to Ausubel, a given teaching strategy does not necessarily assure meaningful learning §Both the student’s background and learning approach determine a strategy’s effectiveness

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping6 Graphic organizers or Concept Mapping or Mind Mapping?  Descriptive Concept Map §Showing what we know: Numbers in the Environment

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping7 Concept Map Development §The process of concept map development has a similarity to individual brain-storming  A logical sequence shown by the inter-connections of facts links the ideas in an hierarchical order

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping8 Steps in Making a Concept Map (1) §Choose a topic/concept §Write down major terms/concepts about the topic §Identify the most general, intermediate, & specific concepts §Begin drawing the concept map –Concepts are circled –Place the most general concepts at the top/center –Place intermediate concepts below/next to general concepts –Put specific concepts on bottom/further

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping9 Steps in Making a Concept Map (2) §Draw lines between related concepts §Label the lines with "linking words" to indicate how the concepts are related  Revise the map

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping10 Concept Map: A Learning Tool Providing students with learning tools that integrate information helps learning: l taking notes l problem solving l planning study - as an organizer l preparing for examinations - identifies the integration of topics l planning essays or larger reports

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping11 Graphic organizers or Concept Mapping or Mind Mapping?  Descriptive Concept Map  The Concept Mapping Homepage  Inspiration

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping12 Why Concept Maps? §Teaching and learning with concept maps utilizes visual and organizational features of the mind, to improve learning and confidence.  It takes time to develop a map; speed comes with experience. Reference: Novak, J. D, and Gowin, D. Bob, Learning how to learn, New York, Cambridge University Press, 1984.

July 2001Mara Alagic: Concept Mapping13 Concept Mapping and Curriculum Design § Resource- Center/concepts.html#curriculumhttp:// Resource- Center/concepts.html#curriculum

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