This is not my favourite tool! As I have already mentioned my weakest learning style is visual/spatial (unlike most of the population I think!). Despite having a number of friends and fellow students who systematically create concept maps when learning, I have never done this. I will jot down ideas and sometimes have a series of 'post it' notes stuck on my desk or wall but this is not the same as concept mapping. Concept mapping is a visual tool. My post it notes are words! Subsequently the concept maps I have created are somewhat lacking in creativity and depth. I would much rather summarise my understanding in a 500 word passage than draw a concept map! Obviously this is a skill that I should spend sometime developing. I know that it is possible to improve my visual/spatial ability and this could be the tool to do it!
Here is my rather inhibited attempt at concept mapping!
I think that your lack of support for concept mapping is not such a bad thing! Once you do understand it a bit better, I think you will be able to support those students that struggle with the concept, as you will have a better understanding of where they are coming from! Or why not use the students that have a strong understanding of the concept to teach this lesson? This also provides students with an opportunity to engage in substantive conversation, one of the productive pedagogies stated by the Department of Education (2002) as being situations where there is a great deal of interaction among the students.
ReplyDeleteDepartment of Education. (2002). A guide to productive pedagogies, classroom reflection manual. Brisbane, QLD: Queensland Government.