The concept mapping technique was originally developed by Prof. Joseph D. Novak at Cornell University in the 1960s based on the theories of David Ausubel, who stressed the importance of prior knowledge in learning new concepts. A concept map is a diagram that shows the relationship between concepts in a downward branching hierarchical structure using boxes or circles connected by labeled arrows. Concept mapping can be used for generating ideas, designing complex structures, communicating complex ideas, illustrating relationships between components or processes, and aiding learning by explicitly integrating new and old knowledge. Steps for constructing concept maps include selecting a central concept, identifying related key words, clustering concepts by abstraction level and interrelation, arranging concepts diagrammatically, and adding linking lines labeled with qualifying words