|
Improved Concept Mapping
Improved concept mapping is applied and presented in the new research methods textbook:
Wheeldon, J. & Ahlberg, M. 2011 Visualizing Social Science Research: Maps, Methods, & Meaning. London: SAGE.
(ISBN: 9781412991049). (1) http://www.uk.sagepub.com/books/Book235388
(2) http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Awheeldon%20ahlberg&page=1
I have developed an improved version of concept mapping
(Åhlberg 1993 - 2002, Åhlberg & Ahoranta 2002).
There are at least 10 features which are improved compared to original
concept mapping:
•Åhlberg, M. 2004. Varieties of concept mapping. Poster presented at
The First International Conference on Concept Mapping, Public University
of Navarra, Spain. September 14 – 17, 2004. Also published digitally: http://cmc.ihmc.us/papers/cmc2004-206.pdf
Download the distributed handout.
• Åhlberg, M. 2001.
Concept mapping as a research method. This is from 2004 been in the fee-based area in the Methodix (a network environment for scientific and applied research, methods and their study), http://www.metodix.com/en/sisallys/index
.• Åhlberg, M. 2002.
Käsitekartat tutkimusmenetelmänä - internet-osoitteessa:
http://www.metodix.com/fi/sisallys/04_virtuaalikirjasto/dokumentit/aineistot/kasitekartta
Novak and Gowin (1984) published a well-received
book about concept maps. I read it in the same year and concluded
that this kind of method is probably extremely useful for teachers
and their pupils, for everybody who wants to learn meaningfully.
I was in 1993 for three months as a visiting research professor
in Cornell University (e.g. Åhlberg 1993). I learnt a lot
of concept mapping and Vee heuristics. There were tens of Masters'
theses and Doctoral Dissertations in which those tools were used
as main methods to collect and analyze data. In Åhlberg (1993)
I already justified and presented my own improved versions of both
concept mapping and Vee heuristics (Improved Vee Heuristics). Tens
of Masters' Theses have after that published in which improved concept
maps are used. Students from other universities have come to meet
me and discuss about their use of concept maps. One of my former
doctoral students, Markku Kankkunen (1999) has made a doctoral dissertation
of his eight years use of improved concept mapping with his pupils.
Improved concept maps from four years were actual data included
in the dissertation.
Novak (1998) published a new book named Learning,
creating and using knowledge. Concept Maps ™ as facilitative
tools in schools and corporations. There are many good ideas why
concept mapping is good also for business organizations. I have
translated it with my R&D group (Åhlberg 2002). Some practical,
but unfortunately only Finnish, examples of improved concept maps
are in the following Internet addresses:
http://sokl.joensuu.fi/verkkojulkaisut/kipinat/MauriA.htm
http://sokl.joensuu.fi/verkkojulkaisut/kipinat/Mliite.htm
http://www.minedu.fi/etusivu/arkisto/2008/2102/kehitys.html
I have introduced two other new quality tools
Improved Vee Heuristics and ARRA or Analysis
of Reasoning, Rhetorics and Argumentation) to monitor and promote
high quality learning, thinking and acting.
References:
Åhlberg, M. 1993.d Concept maps, Vee diagrams
and Rhetorical Argumentation (RA) Analysis: Three educational theory-based
tools to facilitate meaningful learning. Paper presented at The
Third International Seminar on Misconceptions in Science and Mathematics.
August 1- 5, 1993. Cornell University. Published digitally in the
Proceedings of the Seminar, http://www.mlrg.org/proc3abstracts.html
(Read 26 2. 2003.)
Åhlberg, M. 1998a. Ecopedagogy and ecodidactics: Education
for Sustainable Development, Good Environment and Good Life. University
of Joensuu. Bulletins of the Faculty of Education. N:o 69.
Åhlberg, M. 1998b. Education for sustainability,
good environment and good life. In Åhlberg, M. & Leal
Filho, W. (Eds.) 1998. Environmental education for sustainability:
good environment, good life. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 25 -
43.
Åhlberg, M. 2002. Translator's postscript:
Twenty years research on theory of integrating education, improved
concept maps and Vee heuristics in Finland [in Finnish]. In Novak,
J. Tiedon oppiminen luominen ja käyttö [Finnish translation
of Joseph D. Novak's (1998) Learning, creating and using knowledge].
Jyväskylä: PS-kustannus, 300 - 315.
Åhlberg, M. & Ahoranta, V. 2002. Two improved
educational theory based tools to monitor and promote quality of
geographical education and learning. International Research in Geographical
and Environmental Education 11(2), 119 - 137, http://www.multilingual-matters.net/irgee/011/0119/irgee0110119.pdf
Kankkunen, M. 1999. Opittujen käsitteiden merkityksen
ymmärtäminen sekä ajattelun rakenteiden analyysi
käsitekarttamenetelmän avulla. PhD Dissertation. University
of Joensuu. Publications in Education 54.
Novak, J. 1998. Learning, creating and using knowledge.
Concept Maps ™ as facilitative tools in schools and corporations.
London: Lawrence Erlabaum.
Novak; J. & Gowin, B. 1984. Learning how
to learn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
|