Mind-mapping /
Concept Mapping
Visual Approaches to Lecturing
Friday, February 8, 2008 1

Agenda for Today’s
Workshop
Learning styles.
What’s a mind-map?
What’s a concept map?
Mapping for teaching and
learning.
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Types of learning
• People have differing preferences
for the way that they learn
• While everyone can learn through
any learning mode, everyone
learns faster through their
preferred mode
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Visual
This preference includes the
depiction of information in
charts, graphs, flow charts,
and all the symbolic arrows,
circles, hierarchies and other
devices that instructors use to
represent what could have
been presented in words.
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Oral / Aural
This perceptual mode describes
a preference for information that
is \"heard\": lectures, tutorials,
tapes, group discussion,
speaking, web chat, talking
things through.
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Kinesthetic
Also known as ‘experiential’
learning. By definition, this
modality refers to the
\"perceptual preference
related to the use of
experience and practice
(simulated or real).\"
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DISCUSSION
What are some of the ways that you
appeal to a variety of learning styles
in your classroom?
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Mind-mapping
• Created/promoted by Tony Buzan
• Stress visualization as well as the
written
• Mind-mapping stresses tree-like
structures and a radial hierarchy.
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Friday, February 8, 2008 9

Exercise 1
Let’s create a mind
map that outlines
the US federal
government
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Concept Mapping
• Developed in science education.
• Is similar to mind-mapping, but there is more
emphasis on highlighting relationships between
elements.
• Concept maps tend to be more systemic and
formalized.
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Friday, February 8, 2008 12

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Stages in Constructing a
Concept Map
1. Brainstorming
2. Organizing
3. Layout
4. Linking
5. Revision
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Exercise 2
In groups, let’s
create concept maps
that explains how
doctoral process
works: from high
school to first
professorship.
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Brainstorming Stage
• List as many terms and concepts associated
with the question at hand.
• Write them on Post-It Notes
• Don’t worry about redundancy, relative
importance or relationships
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Organizing Stage
• Spread out Post-It Notes
• Create groups and subgroups, try to
emphasize hierarchies
• Identify terms that represent higher
categories and add them
• Some concepts will fall into multiple
categories, this will become important in
the linking stage
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Layout Stage
• Arrange items to represent collective
understanding of the relationships and connections
between groups
• Try to maintain a consistent hierarchy
• Place similar items closer together
• Think of simple sentences that can show
relationships between groups/items
• Rearrange as necessary; your map will look
different from other groups
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Linking Stage
• Use lines with arrows to connect & show
relationships between groups
• Write a word or phrase beside/below each
arrow to identify the relationship
• One to several arrows can start or end on
particularly important terms/concepts
Friday, February 8, 2008 19

Revising Stage
• Review your draft
• Rearrange as needed; remove; simplify
• Discuss any remaining issues
• Think about colors, shapes or images you
might want to use
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WAYS TO USE CONCEPT &
MIND-MAPPING
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Using Mind/Concept Maps:
Lectures
An effective way to present theoretical
information more visually
A way to create an interactive environment
Very useful for Socratic method or
capturing class discussion
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Using Mind/Concept Maps:
Assessment
Concept maps are great tools for testing
student learning
Checks their ability to remember content
but more importantly processes and
relationships
Friday, February 8, 2008 23

Using Mind/Concept Maps:
Study Aids
To help with complex lectures and/or readings,
perhaps a concept map to demonstrate
interconnectivity?
It need not be complete, it can have blanks and
these could be filled in as a homework or in-
class assignment
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Questions?
Friday, February 8, 2008 25

Mind-mapping /
Concept Mapping
Visual Approaches to Lecturing
Friday, February 8, 2008 26