TLT470 - TQ#5

This week was the first time I've used a conceptual mapping tool. I can definitely see how this tool can be useful when implemented correctly. They are a clever way for students to interact, collaborate, and visualize concepts to gain more knowledge about a topic.

Mapping tools allow the student to explore a topic in an interactive environment. Students can add and change ideas as they learn about a topic and map out the pieces. As I navigated through my CMAP, I created and modified thoughts, and I viewed all of the different connections. I made formed a lot of relationships between various concepts and ideas that were not linked in my mind prior to my experience. Creating the CMAP forced me to fill in gaps of knowledge that were necessary to form the correlation between ideas. My experience was successful because I was only given a topic, and not given a path to follow. Constructive learning is an essential piece to proper implementation of this tool. Although it may be helpful to guide the learner, it is important for he or she to utilize higher thinking skills to develop ideas and learn from this tool.

The CMAP tool we used in class has a very impressive collaboration piece. People from around the world can share thoughts and ideas in real time, and store it for even more people to see later simply by searching for keywords. When alternate perspectives on ideas and thoughts are expressed, it often provokes more thinking, and hopefully more learning. When my team worked on our pieces for this weeks' work, I created a level 1 CMAP and communicated to the group to let them know where it can be found and asked them to provide any changes or input they deemed necessary. After they worked on their pieces, additional content had been added to the level 1 CMAP in addition to their own. Each of us had our own ideas and thoughts that added to the main content. The end result was a detailed piece of work that wouldn't have been quite as complete without all of our input, thanks to all of our collaborative efforts. Students can have similar results if grouped or organized in a fashion that promotes collaboration.

Giving students the ability to visualize a problem or concept is also helpful. Similar to Wenglinsky's example of Socrates teaching a young boy, some ideas are hard to form conceptually without visual aids. In some cases, conceptual maps can fill this void and allow the learner to map out thoughts and processes to help them form an opinion or conclusion. Although this may not be the ideal tool all of the time, this would be ideal for learning about topics that require brainstorming or knowledge sharing. An example of this would be assignment to write a report on a given topic. Conceptual maps can assist the student with formulating their thoughts, and mapping out how they want to write about the topic assigned.

The final take away is also my favorite characteristic of a CMAP. These maps allow a controlled chaos of thought and imagination when you create one. Often times, learning formats tend to be structured and linear. These types of tools give students the opportunity to think out of the box and stray from path driven learning.