WEEK 5-6

Brainstorming and Concept Maps

Brainstorming and Concept Mapping

Brainstorming is a way to approach a topic, and one increasingly taught in college courses

It’s basis is an open-ended approach to finding your way through a topic

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is more informal than a Concept Map (we see that in a minute) but more ordered than a group talking:

Brainstorming

Brainstorming works by focusing on a problem, and then deliberately coming up with as many solutions as possible and by pushing the ideas as far as possible.

A reason it is so effective is that the brainstormers not only come up with new ideas in a session, but gain from associations with other people's ideas by developing and refining them.

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/perform/brainstorm.html

Begin with Single Topic

Keep Developing Your Map

Brainstorm ideas or issues or concepts related to "pet therapy" and add them to the map:

Now add another layer of ideas related to these

Keep adding keywords until you have relevant keywords around each of your subtopics:

**from http://library.humboldt.edu/researchroadmap/topics/topic03a.html

Concept Maps

A concept map presents the relationships among a set of connected concepts and ideas.

It is a tangible way to display how your mind sees a particular topic. By constructing a concept map, you reflect on what you know and what you don't know.

  http://www.udel.edu/chem/white/teaching/ConceptMap.html

Often by the time you get to the Concept Map, you have gone through some initial brainstorming, and your ideas have turned into keywords or subtopics, and you have a more solid idea of how these relate to each other:

http://fromthedeskofalifelonglearner.blogspot.com/

Format for Concept Map [Spider]

Completed Concept Map (Spider)

Concept Map Types

Spider Map (The"spider" concept map is organized by placing the central theme or unifying factor in the center of the map. Outwardly radiating sub-themes surround the center of the map.

Hierachical (The hierarchy concept map presents information in a descending order of importance. The most important information is placed on the top.

Websites for Concept Mapping

Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhgxuNvbNrA

Brainstorming: http://library.sonoma.edu/howdoi/researchtopic.php#

(look for the linked sign under 'Brainstorming'   nice overview of brainstorming process)

Colorful, simple explanation of Concept Maps: http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/BFarkas/fil

es/mind%20map%20basics.2.pdfNice Easy Explanation of Concept Maps:

http://www.virtualcurriculum.com/N3225/ConceptMap2_nursing.pdf