Addendum: Concept mapping

Start to Teach

Start to Teach Addendum: Concept mapping

Concept mapping as a tool for curriculum development

WHAT
Concept mapping is a tool for visualizing interrelationships between concepts in an
integrated, hierarchical manner. A concept map illustrates the dynamic network of
these relationships and emphasizes important domains or themes. In higher
education concept maps have already been used to organize, plan and display
information for complete programmes, modules and topics [1,2,3,4,5].

Example of a concept map of a veterinary curriculum [4]

ADDED VALUE

Building and using a concept map representing the entire

programme is beneficial for three different stakeholders
involved in the programme.
Students
Firstly, providing a concept map of the programme to
students is ideal for achieving the perception of the ‘big
picture’ of the curriculum [5].
  
Addendum: Concept mapping
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As Cornwell (1996) describes [6]: “Often students do not understand the purpose of
the courses in the freshman year and how they relate to and help advance their desire
to be an engineer. They are also typically unfamiliar with the details of the curriculum
of their desired major. By giving freshmen this concept map and explaining it to them
it is hoped that motivation will be provided for the basic math and science courses
taken by these students and it will reduce attrition since the students can see how the
material in these courses fits into the entire curriculum and is critical for subsequent
courses.”
Presenting a concept map of the curriculum to students can increase their awareness
of the importance of prerequisites and taking classes in a specific sequence.
Understanding how classes are “tied” together will motivate students to perform
better in class [5].

Program leaders and curriculum developers

Concept mapping has also proven to be a helpful tool for program leaders and
curriculum developers.
•   A concept map is a guide for sequencing of topics in the curriculum [6].
•   The use of concept maps also allows to identify missing linkages,
inconsistencies, false assumptions and previously unrecognized relationships
[5].
•   In addition, concept maps provide a useful way of involving relevant
stakeholders in curriculum development, such as fellow educators, students,
professional bodies and employers [4].
As McDaniel (2005) states: “The curriculum map serves as a framework for
communicating the essence of the curriculum at varying levels, for addressing
stakeholders’ queries, for incorporating new competencies into existing courses, and
for designing new academic programs.” [8]

•   Moreover concept mapping allows stakeholders with varying backgrounds to

share their visions and values and thus promotes working at the conceptual
level before starting the detailed planning [9].
•   Finally a concept map of the programme is useful for curriculum developers to
evaluate the entire curriculum and to check its coherence [7].

Faculty
Thirdly, concept mapping is a valuable tool for faculty to
•   guide their course design and revision in relation to the bigger picture
•   determine course prerequisites, sequence and flow [5]
•   organize overall themes of courses and lessons: faculty can articulate the
intended programme outcomes more effectively, they can decide what
  
Addendum: Concept mapping
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material needs to be emphasized to scaffold learning and tie assessment plans

to the overall structure of the course [8].
•   revise courses and lessons, as the concept map can reveal which concepts
need to be removed and which need additional emphasis [8].

LET’S GET STARTED

Key concepts and relationships

Before you get started, carefully determine what question it is you want answered by
using the concept map. This will determine the extent of the exercise you are about
to make: perhaps you want to research the coherence within the entire programme,
or maybe you wish to only research one track of it in particular?
Start by defining the content domain of the programme. List key concepts and
subdomains that can be associated with it. You can use source material such as the
structure of the existing programme, content tables of ECTS-sheets, expectations
raised from the work field around those key concepts. Then you start arranging those
concepts. Add lines and arrows to visualize these relationships and label them. Once
done with this priliminary, you can start looking for new “cross-link” between the
topics.
In the table beneath, a few possible relationships that connects concepts with each
other are defined. A few examplary verbs are added for inspiration (based on
Donald[9]).

Relation Explanation Example  concepts Example  verbs

Similarity: concepts  have  certain  similar  characteristics
Liberalism  and  Pluralism  
Associations describe  the  same  concepts (History) is  related  to
combines  with
concepts  have  the  same   Morality  and  Virtue   communicates
Functional outcomes  or  goals (Philosophy) suggests
supports
is  a  part  of
concepts  have  a  hierarchical   includes
Structurally relationship Organ  and  Cell  (Biology)
Dependency: one concept  is  changing  into  a  different  concept
relationships  define  sequences   Experiment  &  Data  Analysis  
Procedural or  steps (Science)
The  concepts  have  a  logical   produces
Logical order Income  &  Tax  (Social  Work) is  a  prerequisite  for
is  followed  by
caused
is  determined  by
leads  to
Migration  and  Urbanisation   affects
Causal cause  /  effect  relationships (History)
  
Addendum: Concept mapping
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Most concept maps have a hierarchical structure, with the most general concepts on
top and the more specific ones below. Concept maps can take on other forms such
as chains, networks, concentric circles or parallel blocks, …

How to tackle and who to involve?

A concept map is not something you can make up in one day or even by yourself. It
is advised to draw up a first draft and optimize this draft as a iterative process in which
you include different factors. You can perhaps start with a core group (perhaps the
programme leader, one teacher and an educational developer) who can work out a
first draft. This draft can be submitted for feedback and additions to a broader group
of teachers. Another strategy is to let a groups of teachers work out a concept map
for the different sub domains and learning tracks. It could be useful to involve the
stakeholders from the labour market in providing feedback based on their
expectations of the programme.

Tips
•   A rigorous content and practical preparation facilitates a fluent flow of the exercise
•   Provide enough time for the exercise
•   Alternate working in small groups with plenary discussions
•   Motivate teachers to abandon course names and work with key concepts that
make up the coure and link to other courses.
•   Working with poster and post-its allows for better flexibility
•   Make sure that the programme leader leads the plenary discussions
•   The role of the educational developer is that of a critical friend
•   Take the time by the end of the exercise to list a the points of action for follow up
  
Addendum: Concept mapping
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Tools
You can make a concept map with the use of Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft
Word. Also a range of free software to make such concept maps exists. A very
accessible web based tool is perhaps https://bubbl.us/ . You can use it without having
an account. You can save the concept as an image. When you make an account you’ll
have the possible to save your concept map and continue working on it on a later
date. Another easy to use tool is https://www.text2mindmap.com/

Quantitative Approach
You can choose to follow a more quantitative approach when making a concept map.
The following steps might help you with it:
•   Have all teachers and perhaps also a few students list the most important domains
and concepts of the programme.
•   Reduce these concepts to a manageable set (less than 100), with the help of a
core group of teachers.
•   Execute a statistical analysis and cluster the concepts as a basis for a concept
map.
An example of this approach can be read in Toral’s article. In this article he discusses
how quantitative mapping was used to redesign the Electrotechnique programme at
the University of Sevilla, Spain.

REFERENCES
[1] Novak, J. D. (1998). Learning, creating, and using knowledge: Concept Maps as facilitative tools in
schools and corporations. Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[2] Novak, J.D. & Gowin, D. B. (1984). Learning how to learn. New York, NY: Cambridge University
Press.
[3] Canas, A., Coffey, J., Carnot, M., Feltovich, P., Hoffman R., Feltovich, J., et al. (2003). A summary
of literature pertaining to the use of concept mapping techniques and technologies for education and
performance support. The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Retrieved November 18, 2004,
from http://www.ihmc.us
[4] Edmondson, K. M. (1995). Concept mapping for the development of medical curricula. Journal of
Research in Science Teaching, 32(7), 777-793.
[5] Morsi, R.,Ibrahim W., and illiams, F., Concept maps: Development and validation of engineering
curricula, 37th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference − Global Engineering: Knowledge without
Borders, Opportunities without Passports FIE 2007, Anaheim, CA, 2007, pp. T3H18−T3H23
[6] Simon, J (2010), Curriculum changes using concept maps, Accounting Education, Vol. 19, No. 3,
pp. 301-307.
[7] Cornwell, P.J., “Concept Maps in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum”, Proceedings of the 1996
ASEE Annual Conference, Washington D.C.
[8] McDaniel, E., Roth, B., & Millar, M. (2005) Concept mapping as a tool for curriculum design, Issues
in Informing Science and Information Technology Education Joint Conference, 505–513, Flagstaff, AZ,
June 16–19, 2005.
[9] Van Neste-Kenny J, Cragg CE, Foulds B. Using concept maps and visual representations for
collaborative curriculum development. Nurse Educator 1998; 23: 21-25.
  
Addendum: Concept mapping
Start to Teach

[10] Donald, J. (1983). Knowledge Structures: Methods for Exploring Course Content. Journal of Higher
Education, 54(1), 31-41.
[11] Toral, S. L., Martinez-Torres, M. R., Barrero, F., Gallardo, S., & Duran, M. J. (2007). An electronic
engineering curriculum design based on concept-mapping techniques.(Author abstract)(Report).
International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 17(3), 341.
[12] Londers, E., Van Hemelrijck, I., Totté, N. (115) Concept Mapping: an Innovative Tool for Curriculum
Development. Proceedings of SEFI 2015.