The central teaching strategy that has been practiced within the classroom is the use of different learning styles, and because the exam seasons is coming near, it has become even more pressing to search for effective methods that allow learners to absorb key information and transform it into memorable chunks. For sure, many of you here are aware about how useful keywords are as starting points, but, if you are going to add structure to these, they will become even more useful, most notably if disparate pieces of information are connected together into a coherent story. This is where concept mapping takes the center stage.
Albeit the fact that many people who view a concept map or a mind map, at first, will consider the words themselves to possess the most importance, not to mention how the positioning of these words within the diagrams possess vital information. For those of you who have not tried using a concept map before, we want you to know that the overarching ideas are present at the center of the diagram, consisting of topics that possess low level of importance, and this radiates out until the details settle at the edges. When it comes to relevant wedges, they are shown by using different pictures and colors, plus, other aide memoire are also suggested to bring the creative and imaginative mind to play. On the other hand, links, which are known to become in the form of simple lines, are used to show a number of branching pathways that radiate out from the middle, giving the final concept map a spider-web structure.
Another thing that we want you to know regarding a concept map is the fact that it has an hierarchical structure that is top-down. Not only that, there goes the fact as well that a concept map requires a focus question and a context, from which is should not depart. Moreover, you have to be aware of the fact that concept maps cover a field of knowledge.
Many experts claim that the making of concept maps should be undertaken by professionals in the field who possess the ability to sort and sift related keywords, providing a rank value that is based on inclusivity and generality. In addition, we want you to know that the making of concept maps will include the layering and linking of words, augmenting simple and straight line linkages with the use of additional written indications of relationships.
Many of you might think that concept maps and concept mapping are topics that are easy to comprehend, but that is not the case at all as they are complex processes that will require you to be focused and be open to everything that is given to you, hence professional help is needed at times.