2. Teaching and assessing content literacy using Cmaps
Worth Swearingen

3. Worth Swearingen
Aiken High School

4. Presentation Puzzler How does learning go beyond learning by rote?
Use what you know about rote learning to add concepts from the concept bank to the Cmap.
Page 1 of handout

5. Presentation Puzzler

6. Essential Question Why do teachers need tools to
assess prior knowledge,
present new concepts, and thus
increase content literacy?

7. Agenda Model Cmaps and some of their uses How Cmaps show what you know
Scaffolding
Presentation
How Cmaps show what you know
Anatomy of a Cmap
A little theory
How Cmaps solved a research problem
Demonstration
Create a Cmap and assess it using a rubric.

8. Meeting Outcomes After this presentation you will be able to:
make and assess Cmaps;
explain how learning theory supports Cmap design; and
track down resources to help you incorporate Cmaps into lessons and assessments.

9. Using a Cmap Cmaps show what you know.
Cmaps can be used to assess students prior knowledge.
Cmaps can serve as scaffolding. They also help organize your presentation.
Cmaps show what you know.

10. Anatomy of a Cmap
A more detailed explanation of Cmaps is included in your packet on page 2.

11. Ausubel: A little theory
Learning Theorist
Constructivist: Think Piaget
Cognitive structure + New concepts = Learning
Key difference with Piaget: Teachers and students build cognitive structure.
David Ausubel (1918 – 2008)
“The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly.”

12. Novak: maps solve a problem
Inventor of Cmaps
Retired education professor at Cornell
Works at IHMC, maker of CmapTools
Based Cmaps on Ausubel’s theory
Joseph Novak (1932 – present)

13. Novak: Cmaps solve a problem
Cmaps represent knowledge – they show what you know.

14. Prepare a Cmap Read the article excerpt.
Focus question: Why should you not use a Q- tip to clean the wax out of your ears?
Concepts:
Balls of wax
Ear canal
Ear drum
Ear wax
Otolaryngologist
QTip
Talking and chewing
Read the article excerpt.
Create 2 or 3 propositions using the concepts I gave to your group.
Add one or two propositions to the board.
Image source: (Retrieved 6/18/2017)

15. Suggestions for starting a Cmap
Focus question: Why should you not use a Q- tip to clean the wax out of your ears?
Concepts:
Balls of wax
Ear canal
Ear drum
Ear wax
Otolaryngologist
QTip
Talking and chewing
Suggested steps
Settle on a focus question.
Choose key concepts and arrange them in groups loosely from general to specific.
Add linking words.
Iterate and enhance.
Edit the focus question, concepts and links.
Rearrange
Add crosslinks and examples.

16. Assessing student work
Several rubrics are provided in a PDF produced by the Center for Teaching at the University of Iowa.
Link on page 6 - I can a copy on request.
Most use a standard tabular design
Using a criterion Cmap
Create and score a criterion Cmap
Score student Cmap
Grade is based on the ratio of student’s points to criterion points.

17. Need more help? Resources: See page 9 of the handout. Questions?
IHMC offers lots of help, including CmapTools in the Cloud.
Brainpop has a good video to introduce students to Cmaps.
Please consider me a resource.
Questions?

18. Cmaps don’t have to be boring

19. Revisiting the Outcomes and EQ
After this presentation you will be able to:
make and assess Cmaps;
explain how learning theory supports Cmap design; and
track down additional resources.
Why do teachers need tools to
assess prior knowledge,
present new concepts, and thus
increase content literacy?

20. A student’s review of Cmaps
Concept maps are hard to study from.​
When you're doing it though, you're sorta studying it.
If ya make 'em good they can help you.​
They make ya read the book.​
I'd rather not do them.

21. A student’s review of Cmaps
Concept maps are hard to study from.​
When you're doing it though, you're sorta studying it.
If ya make 'em good they can help you.​
They make ya read the book.​
I'd rather not do them.

22. Worth Swearingen
Aiken High School