How does concept mapping using CMap support Curriculum?
Thinking: Inquiry, Reflective Thinking
Concept Mapping is a valuable tool to support the Key Element of Thinking. In the Inquiry culminating outcome it provides an appropriate technique for posing questions, defining problems, processing and evaluating data, drawing conclusions and flexibly applying findings to further learning and to creating new solutions. In Reflective Thinking, concept maps can be used to develop and refine ideas and beliefs and to explore different and new perceptions.
Concept mapping can also be used to evaluate changes in learners' thinking over time. Creating a concept map requires learners to analyse relationships in the content they are studying. By comparing concept maps created at different stages of learning, changes in thinking and understanding can clearly be identified and assessed.
Communicating: Being Literate, Being Information Literate
Concept mapping assists learners in being able to create, communicate and convey ideas clearly. When working collaboratively on CMaps, particularly by using discussions and annotations, they can interact critically with communications created by others, while learning to interpret information presented.
It helps them come to understand how to effectively access, interpret, transform, create, communicate, evaluate and manage information in ethical ways using a range of sources.
