Concept mapping is a beneficial activity for helping students visualize how topics relate to each other. Eventually, having this ability to visualize topics and subpoints will lead to outlining papers (for older grades). I know for myself that I was never very good at visually creating an outline before diving into papers, but I think that it's a vital practice for creating papers that tie together effectively.
Concept mapping can engage students, especially visual students, by teaching them how to organize. I think students who can concept map will have an easier time drafting stories, writing research papers, or writing argumentations. Digital concept mapping, with programs like Inspiration, takes away the frustration of messy eraser marks and lack of room, which can encouage kids to have fun while organizing and conceptually creating a hierarchy of keypoints. For younger kids, concept mapping with pictures can be extremely valuable for students who can't necessarily read yet, but can understand concepts through pictures.
By having students use concept mapping, it gives me, as a teacher, a great tool for determining whether or not they have understanding the concepts I've been teaching. For example, if I have taught a music class the difference between the four instrument families in a Symphony Orchestra, I would have my students make a concept map with these instruments categorized correctly. I think kids would have a fun time organizing concept with this digital media, as well as showing me that they know the information. Concept mapping doesn't even have to be digital! I could have flashcards with instrument names, and they would have to categorize them into groups, which is a form of concept mapping.
Some ideas I have for students using Inspiration or Kidspiration media:
1) Family tree -- help younger students understand the branching of families.
2) Symphony Orchestra Instrument Families -- Classification of types of instruments.
3) Mammals, Amphibians, Aquatic, and birds -- Classification of these types of animals.
4) WWII Events -- Cause and effect points.
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Hey Brittany! I just finally figured out that it was you! Haha. I am in South Africa until December 4th and then it is back to Oregon for a little while. We'll see what happens... So yeah. Concept Mapping! We actually use it in advertising to get ideas out and figure out how they are interrelated. I like it. I am a very visual person though! How is life?!
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