Concept Maps and the Trajectory Concept Maps and the Trajectory of Learning for Teachersof Learning for Teachers

Peter R. HesterPeter R. HesterTeacher EducationTeacher Education

Faculty of the FutureFaculty of the FutureJune 2, 2006June 2, 2006

How People Learn: Brain, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and SchoolMind, Experience and School

“Expert teachers know the structure of their disciplines and this provides them with cognitive roadmaps that guide the assignments they give students, the assessments they use to gauge student progress, and the questions they ask in the give and take of classroom life.”

(Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, 2000)

A Cognitive Roadmap for A Cognitive Roadmap for Teaching and LearningTeaching and Learning

“Meaningful learning involves the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing cognitive structures" (Novak & Gowin, 1984).

Graphic Organizers as Graphic Organizers as Cognitive Road MapsCognitive Road Maps

Graphic organizers are designed as visual representations of cognitive structures (knowledge, concepts or ideas). A sampling of graphic organizers is entabled below:

Flow chart Fishbone diagram Events chain

Venn diagram Brainstorming web Hierarchy diagram

Story board Concept map Chart / Matrix

Word web KWL chart Cycle diagram

File and folder Thinking grid Mind map

Sample Graphic OrganizersSample Graphic Organizers

Chart / Matrix

Venn Diagram

Fishbone Diagram

KWHL Chart

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/

Educational Applications of Educational Applications of Graphic OrganizersGraphic Organizers

Convey a clear general picture of topics.

Can be used in creative ways to assess student achievement

Help identify misconceptions and/or missing concepts

Reinforce understanding through visualization of relationships between key concepts

The ProblemThe Problem

How can prospective teachers (ELD-376 students) address perceived gaps in their content preparation in order to better prepare themselves for teaching?

ELD-376: Teaching Science ELD-376: Teaching Science Social Studies & the ArtsSocial Studies & the Arts

The course has been a major requirement for three distinct populations: junior-level elementary education majors

(w/ any CLAES second major)

junior-level secondary education majors (w/ science second major)

junior-level secondary education majors (w/ social studies second major)

Enrollment in ELD-376Enrollment in ELD-376

Fall 2005 Spring 2006

ELED majors 33 55

2º social studies majors

7 11

2º science majors

2 0

Total enrollment

42 66

Trajectory of Learning ExperiencesTrajectory of Learning Experiences• Each student begins by finding a topic they

feel uncomfortable about teaching.

• Students begin developing an annotated list of resources to learn about their topic and post entries to the online Web-Bib database.

• Students create and subsequently modify a concept map for their topic.

• Students develop materials to teach their topic to K-12 students (one grade level).

Why concept maps?Why concept maps?

"The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach accordingly" (Ausubel, 1968).

A Concept Map of Concept MapsA Concept Map of Concept Maps

A Constructivist ApproachA Constructivist Approach

The concept maps that students create in ELD-376 serve two purposes:

– They provide the instructor with a “window” onto students’ understanding.

– They actively engage students in identifying what they know…and what they need to learn.

Data CollectedData Collected

• Concept maps were constructed by pairs of students over the course of each semester using Inspiration™ and laptop computers in the TLC.

• A series of questions was asked of students in a “test” on Blackboard™ at the end of the semester (Fall 2005 and Spring 2006).

Student Concept MapsStudent Concept Maps

Iteration 1: Physics

Iteration 2: Physics

Iteration 2: Weather

Iteration 2: Weather (highlighted by instructor)

Iteration 2: Weather (Detail)

Web-Bib Entry ScreenWeb-Bib Entry Screen

Web-Bib Sample Entry

Inserting a New Web-Bib Record

Editing an Web-Bib Existing Record

Exporting Web-Bib Records

Results of Blackboard “QuizResults of Blackboard “Quiz”

Perceived usefulness of concept maps

Fall 2005 Spring 2006 Total

Useful 32 51 83

Not useful 6 8 14

QUESTION #1: Do you think that the concept mapping activities we did in class this semester were useful to your development as a teacher?

(n = 97)

QUESTION #1: Do you think that the concept mapping activities we did in class this semester were useful to your development as a teacher?

Student response - The concept map is a useful graphic organizer because it literally lets me visualize the connections between the various aspects in a particular unit. When I can see that two concepts can be connected, I am much more likely to understand the content.

Results of Blackboard “QuizResults of Blackboard “Quiz”

Perceived changes made on

concept maps

Fall 2005 Spring 2006 Total

Major changes 24 33 57

Minor changes 10 17 27

No changes 5 9 14

QUESTION #2: Did you make any changes in your concept map over the course of the semester ?

(n = 98)

Student response - Throughout the semester, I have added a lot of information to my concept map …My map was constantly changing [as] I was bringing in new ideas and going in different directions…Just through adding the new information, I was able to see how I could incorporate science into my other lessons and classes.

QUESTION #2: Did you make any changes in your concept map over the course of the semester ?

Results of Blackboard “QuizResults of Blackboard “Quiz”

Prediction of future concept

map use

Fall 2005 Spring 2006 Total

Will use 34 53 87

Will not use 5 6 11

QUESTION #3: Do you expect to use concept mapping as a teaching or learning tool in the future?

(n = 98)

Student response - I most definitely plan to use concept mapping as a teacher ….[and] as a learning tool in the future. I am a very visual learner, and this activity gave me a new way to learn information. I think I will use concept mapping when I need assistance in relating information and making connections.

QUESTION #3: Did you make any changes in your concept map over the course of the semester?

Summary of Responses to Summary of Responses to “Quiz” Questions“Quiz” Questions

• ~85% indicated that they felt concept maps were useful

• ~58% indicated making major changes, ~28% indicated making minor changes, ~14% indicated making no changes to concept maps during the semester

• ~90% indicated that they plan to use concept maps in future teaching and learning

Future WorkFuture Work• Analyze the relationship between the concept

maps that students produce and their Web-Bib entries (the Web-Bib database currently contains ~2200 annotated sources).

• Qualitatively analyze student responses to Blackboard “quiz” questions in order to improve concept mapping instruction and Web-Bib resource.

• Conduct a longitudinal study to examine usage of concept mapping as a tool for teaching and learning among Rider Education graduates.

Thank You!Thank You!

Concept mapping software:

www.inspiration.com

cmap.ihmc.us

Graphic organizers:

www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers

www.graphic.org/goindex.html