Syntax of Concept Mapping

Four well defined phases of Concept Mapping were evolved after rigorous discussions with experts in the subject and technique of drawing concept maps. These are Presentation of Abstraction Propositional Phase Application and Closure Phase I : Presentation of Abstraction : First the students are presented with a definition or a generali!ation. "ince a generali!ation arises from common characteristics of various concepts "econdl# the students are as$ed to identif# various concepts and sub%concepts. Thirdl# to enlist the# and lastl# the# are as$ed to provide new and unique examples to judge their understanding of these concepts. Phases II : Propositional Phase : The teacher guides the learners to arrange the concepts hierarchicall# in a deductive manner with the broader concepts placed at the top followed b# less inclusive concepts. These various concepts are lin$ed b# lines and these lines are supplemented b# words&phrases which indicate meaningful relationship among various concepts. Thus the whole concept map is viewed as a networ$ of concepts. Phase III : Application : Then the students appl# their $nowledge b# citing new examples and reflecting on the present examples Phase IV : Closure : Closure is a point at which the students come to the formal conclusions of the lessons. At the closing stage the students summari!e major ideas involved in the process.

Role of the Concept Maps

A concept map is a graphic organizer, which uses schematic representation, hierarchically to organize a set of concepts, connected by means of words in order to build meaningful statements . It shows meaningful relationship between concepts in the shape of propositions, and it reveals each students comprehension and knowledge structure (Novak and Gowin, 1999 . Novak and Gowin (1999, p. 1 tells us ! concept mapping is a way to help students and educators to see the meanings of learning materials ." It reveals the wa# in which we could assimilate the concept structure with the source of knowledge, on which the map prepares. $hen it is made b# a working group and being shared b# all students, it gives color full pleasure of their refle%ive thought (Novak and Gowin, 1999 and it can become an e%cellent process of building knowledge in a social environment that is

cooperative and constructivist. &o put it briefl#, concept maps are e%cellent tools for a cooperative activit# that will lead to a ver# meaningful learning (Novak, '((' . )ut of different t#pes of concept maps, spider concept map ma# be organi*ed b# placing the central concept in the centre of the map and outwardl# radiating sub concepts linked to it and students ma# easil# understand the cause+effect relationships of science b# linking, interlinking, sub concepts and e%amples with the super concept. &heir cognitive structure increases radiall# b# the collaboration of new and old knowledge (,eissner, -onassen . Grabowski, 199/ . 0pider concept map is a multi flow map, in which multiple outcomes found b# the multiple inputs of concepts, sub concepts (1errill .&enn#son, 1992 . In this map, the comple% cause and effect relationships can be e%pressed b# the central event with sub concepts depicted or both sides radials help students to branch their knowledge structure in a meaningful wa# (3olloffel . &essa, '(11 . 0imilarl#, the hierarch# concepts ma# represent the information in the descending order of importance. &he most important information is placed on the top and illustrates the downwards classification of the concepts. &he super concepts should be placed in the top and the sub concepts are downwardl# depicted to e%press the total concept in a true manner (4in*e5 6r# . Novak, 199( . 7 Collaborative and Individual Modes of Concept Mapping )kebukola . )gunni#i (198/ studied the learning mode ( e.g. cooperative or individualistic under concept mapping strateg#. &he ob9ective of the stud# was to know the students achievement after concept mapping strateg#. &he cooperative learning involved the students working in small heterogeneous abilit# groups while the individualistic mode involves students working alone on an assigned task. &he# found cooperative mode of concept mapping has improved students misconception and doubt significantl# more than individual map practices. :ooperative group students achievement and retention are much better than individual learner. :randell, . 0oderston, 199; compared the effect of collaborative concept mapping on elementar# pre service teachers< an%iet#, efficac#, and achievement in ph#sical science. &he stud# conducted with pre service teachers (n=118, 4> 0cience , indicated that collaborative concept map could lower the an%iet# about learning ph#sical science, lower all the trait an%iet#, and increase science achievement. 4owever, it did not have a significant effect on an%iet# toward teaching ph#sical science, self5efficac#, and outcome e%pectanc#. :hiu, 4uang, . :hang, ('((( studied the collaborative concept mapping process, mediated b# computer. &he sub9ects learned and constructed concept map during instruction and the researchers identified that the four patterns of computer5mediated collaborative concept map should process information? (1

concept introduction@ (' limited concept introduction@ (A less link establishment@ and (/ proposition construction orientation. :ollaborative concept map practice is a useful practice among students. Ban ,o%tel et al 1992 compared the stud# of collaborative construction of conceptual understanding, interaction processes, and learning outcomes in emerging from a concept mapping and a poster and collaborative concept mp approach is a suitable techniCue for classroom management. 0imilarl#, Gilbert . Greene ('((' investigated the college students< collaborative use of concept map as inspiration generation to learn educational technolog#. 1D higher education ps#cholog# students were the sample of the stud#. Efter concept map learning among students cooperativel# to educational technolog# the researchers found that the concept maps are most stimulating activit# among the samples. &he cooperative concept map has positive effect on students learning. Inspiration b# the teacher is not directl# influence the achievement of the students but collaborative concept map has directl# promotes meaningful learning. In fact, 3eal#, '((1@ Ban ,o%tel et al '((' studied the knowledge maps and their use in computer5based collaborative learning environments. 1A higher education biolog# students are the purposive samples of the stud#. &he purpose of the stud# was to stud# the effect of concept map on achievement of the students through computer based collaborative learning. &he findings of the stud# stated that there e%ists significant difference in achievement scores between collaborative learners and collaborative concept map learners. Constructivist Approach use through Concept Maps 3ostoovich et al '((2 observed from their stud# concept map as a constructivist tool for students learning and knowledge evaluation. &he# found, concept map might serve as potentiall# useful tool in ph#sics studied among medical students. 0imon, . 0chifter, 1991 investigated the using of constructivist approach with online concept map? relationship between theor# and nursing education. &his stud# described an online course that used concept maps and self5reflective 9ournals to assess students thinking processes. &he use of concept map with reflective 9ournal provided a learning e%perience that allowed students to integrate content consistent with a constructivist paradigm. &his integration is a developmental process influenced b# the personal preferences of students, concept map design, and content comple%it#. &his developmental process provides earl# evidence that the application of concept mapping in the online environment, along with reflective 9ournal, allows students to make new connections, integrate previous knowledge, and validate e%isting knowledge. 0imilarl#, Eitken . Feaker,'((8 e%amined concept map as constructivist tool for students learning and knowledge evaluation.

&his stud# indicated that, concept mapping might serve as a potentiall# useful tool in ph#sics studies with medical students b# helping them better to understand the underl#ing ph#sics concept. Guantitative anal#sis revealed that almost all students in the intervention groups emphasi*ed, concept map stimulates the understanding of the concept@ enables s#stematic repetition of concepts. 4owever, Cualitative anal#sis of students answers to the open5t#pe Cuestion highlighted that, concept mapping helped students? s#stemati*e their ph#sic knowledge, develop their conceptual understanding of the nature and structure of ph#sics concepts, and develop their understanding through collaborative learning (4ane# . :*erniak, '((A . Concept Map provides Meaningful Learning )kebukola . -egede (1988 studied on cognitive preference and learning mode as the determinant of meaningful learning through concept mapping. Ell students on the programme had taken ,iolog#, :hemistr#, Hh#sics, 1athematics and >nglish course as their reCuirements. &he primar# t5test revealed no significant difference between the mean pre test scores on achievement of e%perimental and control group. Novak (199( observed from the stud#, concept maps as diagram of two meta5cognitive tools facilitates meaningful learning. &he finding of the stud# indicated that concept mapping is a meaningful strateg# in learning. 0imilarl#, )kebukola (199( studied the effect of concept mapping techniCues on training meaningful learning of concept genetics and ecolog#. )verall result indicated that concept mapping is significantl# better than no treatment, but the two together are significantl# better than either alone. :oncept map serves as a tool to help learners to organi*e their cognitive frame works into more powerful integrated pattern (6raser . Edward, 1982@ 0chemid, . &elaro, 199( .

1.:ooperative hierarchical concept map on chemical reaction