Computer-generated Concept Mapping:  A Rationale for an Elementary Classroom

Edtec 655 – Final Project

Heather Schilling

            Concept maps have long been used in classrooms of all varieties, elementary, secondary, and even college.  First developed to help scientists organize their ideas regarding research and outcomes, the concept map allows its developer to organize thoughts and examine relationships between ideas.  As a former high school English teacher, I often had my students create concept maps for the stories we read or the essays we were writing.  They simply helped my students visualize what they wanted to put into words.  In simple terms, they were a visual outline.  Unfortunately, I never really focused with my students on what determined a good or successful concept map; instead, I graded their essays, making corrections in their organization.  Had I given the process much thought, I would have realized that I should have checked their concept maps prior to having them begin their rough drafts.  Like many classroom teachers, I assumed that because my students had something that looked “pretty” on their concept map, then it must be good.  That misconception, however, does more of a disservice to students and now that I am teaching undergraduate education majors at Manchester College, I have a different perspective of what it is I should be having my students do with concept maps.

            With technology ever increasing, I, like other educators, am drawn to the use of computers in my classroom.  With software packages such as Kispiration, students and teachers can easily make computer-generated concept webs complete with sounds and beautiful graphics.  The issue, however, still exists:  is the concept web a good concept web?  Does it adequately represent the essay to be written or the character to be analyzed?  Once the teacher addresses these critical questions and develops with his/her students criterion for judging the concept map, a computer-generated concept map provides students with a more motivational way of representing their ideas.  Besides serving as a motivator for many students, programs such as Kidspiration allow students to save their work and easily make changes to their concept maps once they have had an opportunity to examine the concept map with their teacher and/or peers.

            Researchers such as Rupert Wegerif report that educational evaluations of concept mapping have reported relatively small results, but most people, “but there is no denying that many people find that concept maps help them to think more clearly about some topics” (2002).  While much of the research still debates the full effectiveness of computer-generated concept maps, practitioners conducting field research will attest to the help concept maps give their students, particularly those who are ld.  For example, Kight (1998) sites research done by MacArthur's and his colleagues' (1993 ) “finding that novice writers in general and learning disabled writers in particular spend little time on planning, take a conversational approach to writing, and do very little editing, suggests that the use of a tool like Inspiration might be helpful in working with students who have trouble with organizing what they read and write”.

            The design of my project changed after my proposal and midway review.  At first, I simply demonstrated how to use Kidspiration and then had my own undergraduate students create a lesson plan that incorporated the Kidspiration software.  However, after some discussion and reflection, it made sense to actually walk my undergraduate students through the process of creating a good concept map.  This begins with my undergraduates participating in a class discussion of what they know about concept mapping and what criterion should be used when assessing a student’s concept map.  From there, I created a three stage module for my undergraduates to go through in order to look at the pedagogy behind using concept maps.  The first step asks them to read A Bad Case of Stripes and create their own concept map for the main character.  When they come to class the next class period, I simply collect the map; they receive no feedback from me or their peers.  For the next class period, they must read Now I Will Never Leave the Dinner Table by Jane Read Martin and Patricia Marx and bring to class a concept map created for the character of Patty Jane Pepper.  During that class period, they will work with 3 other peers to discuss their own concept map and to create a group one based on the input of the group.  Finally, during the next class meeting, we will discuss the children’s book The Mystery of the Grindlecat by Valiska Gregory.  As a class we will discuss the main character of Ms. Quimby and as a class we will create a concept web for the character.  The most important element of this process is the discussion of which of the three steps they found most useful.  They will think of this in light of their own future elementary students.

            After they have taken the three steps to look at the development of the concept map and what makes a good concept map, we will look at the software package of Kidspiration that is on the two lab computers on campus.  Having brought with them a children’s book of their choice, students will practice making a concept map (plot, character, Venn diagram, etc.) of their choice for their book.  Their assignment will culminate the activity by asking them to create a literacy activity for their field placement classroom in which they will include a Kidspiration concept map.  After designing the lesson with input from the cooperating teacher, the college student will teach the lesson, collect student samples, and reflect on the use of the computer-generated concept map in that particular setting.  The focus will be on introducing concept mapping to the elementary students as well as analyze the benefits of using a computer-generated map as opposed to a simple paper/pencil generated map.

            While I have always assumed my college students understood concept maps, I have never explicitly discussed the development of them or the ways to assess concept maps.  Throwing technology at an issue will not solve the problems such as unorganized concepts.  Instead, I need to elicit discussion with my undergraduate elementary majors about why we use concept maps, when they are appropriate, and how we can assess a student’s concept map.  Once that discussion has taken place, we can move the discussion into the benefits of the computer-generated map programs such as Kidspiration.  Programs such as this may look cooler, but that does not mean it enhances student learning.  Teachers at all levels must model good concept mapping as well as help students understand how to use a concept map.  Kidspiration does provide benefits that traditional paper/pencil maps do not.  It motivates reluctant writers to begin writing as several studies indicated.  One of the biggest benefits afforded to students includes the ability to save their map, make corrections once they have collaborated with the teacher or his/her peers, as well as share the concept map via the Internet.

            This module for concept mapping can not be assessed fully at this time without implementing it with my undergraduates.  During the spring semester 2006, my Literacy Block students will examine the issue of concept mapping in literacy instruction as well as the use of technology in literacy instruction.  The course will implement this particular inquiry module which asks them to look at concept mapping in general and then specifically develop and reflect on a lesson using the computer-generated concept map made in Kidspiration.  Once the students have completed the assignment, I will be able to step away from the module and reflect on what will help my undergraduates more in the future.  The first step, however, has already been taken by engaging them in a conversation about the process of making a concept map and talking about the importance of assessing the map.  More importantly, it is important that they teach their own students how to self-assess their concept maps in order to take the maps a step further when writing an essay.

            Throughout this project, I examined the Kidspiration software which I found quite easy to use.  In fact, my own children easily mastered and played with the graphics and sounds found in Kidspiration.  This particular technology does not require a lot of technological background as other projects may.  It did, however, require me to examine my own use of concept maps and my own teaching.  Through my reflection of my practices, I realized that I need to be more explicit in how I teach my college students to use concept maps in their future classrooms.  Understanding what a concept map is the starting point, but designing and developing evaluation criterion is critical to the implementation of this teaching tool.

            Ultimately, I hope this project enables my undergraduate education majors to use concept maps in a positive and effective way.  As educators we have long understood the importance of organizing ideas, but it is equally important to help students understand that simply because they have a circle with several radiating strands coming from the central idea, it does not mean they will have a fully organized concept.  Teachers must teach their students how to properly design a concept map and how to assess its effectiveness.