Using Concept Maps for

Studying

Dave LushFeb 2012

Contents• Introduction• Knowledge Concepts

– Definition of Knowledge– States of Knowledge– Types of Knowledge Transfer– Why Is Knowledge Valuable?

• What Is Learning?• What Is Studying?• What Are Concept Maps?• How Can Concept Maps Facilitate Studying?• The Steps• Concept Map for This Briefing

Introduction• In My Work I Do a Lot of Research and Studying.• A Few Years Ago I Started Using Concept Maps to Help Me

Extract, Relate, and Organize Key Knowledge from the Source Documents I Was Researching.

• Over the Period Since I Have Concluded That Concept Maps Greatly Enhance the Learning Process in Terms of Rate of Learning and Completeness/Clarity of What Is Learned.

• So, In the Following I Want to Provide Some Notions That Might Be of Use to Any One Who Wants to Improve the Researching/Studying Process and Associated Learning Results.

Knowledge Concepts

• What Is Knowledge?– Knowledge Is “Justified True Belief”– Types of Knowledge

• Situational Awareness Knowledge• How to Knowledge• Concept Knowledge

• Two States of Knowledge:– Externalized– Internalized

• Implicit (easily externalized)• Tacit (difficult to externalize)

• Types of Knowledge Conversion (between the states)– Socialization (internalized to internalized)– Externalization (internalized to externalized)– Combination (externalized to externalized)– Internalization (externalized to internalized)

• Acquired Knowledge Enables Useful Action and Useful Action Enables Acquisition of More Knowledge

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED 5

Knowledge Creation and Conversion(Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995)

Manual or Automated

Process

ExternalizedKnowledge

ExternalizedKnowledge

socialization

externalization internalization

socialization

internalizationexternalization

combination

creation creation

creation creation

Nonaka and Takeuchi cite 2 states of knowledge and 5 knowledge processes .

Knowledge has 2 states:

Internalexternal

There are 5 knowledge processes:

Creation Externalization (int to ext)Internalization (ext to int)Socialization (int to int)Combination (ext to ext)

Knowledge Concepts (continued)

• Knowledge Is Represented by:– Concepts (classes and instances/entities) – Attributes/Properties (of the concepts/entities)– Assertions/Relationships (about/between the concepts)

What Is Learning?

• Learning Is the Acquisition/Internalization of Knowledge

• Learning Enables Useful Action

• Useful Action Enables Learning

What Is Studying?

• Studying Is the Useful Action of Reading and Thinking In Order to Achieve Learning

• Studying Is Executed by the Student Who– Reads and Thinks About Externalized Source Knowledge (textbooks

and class notes) and– Gains Internalized Knowledge Accordingly

• Concepts/Entities• Attributes/Properties (of the concepts/entities)• Assertions/Relationships (between the concepts and entities)

What Are Concept Maps?

• Graphical Means for Expressing Structured Knowledge (e.g. CmapTools)– Concepts/Entities– Attributes/Properties– Assertions/Relationships

• Excellent Means to Extract Key Knowledge from Externalized Source Knowledge (e.g. Textbooks and Class Notes) In Order to Facilitate Internalization of the Source Knowledge (in the brain of the student)

• Check Out This Link

The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them Joseph D. Novak & Alberto J. CañasFlorida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Pensacola Fl, 32502www.ihmc.us

How Do Concept Maps Expedite Learning?

• Provide for Concise Organized Expression of the Knowledge Inherent in Textual Source Material– Concepts (Classes/Entities)– Attributes/Properties (of concepts/entities)– Relations (between concepts/entities)

• Learning Occurs During the Process of Creating and Refining the Concept Map

• Learning Occurs During Iterative (Repeated) Study/Review of the Concept Map with Reference Back to the Source Material and Associated Updates to the Concept Map

Concept Map Driven Approach to StudyingThe Steps

• Phase 1:– Read Through Textbook Assignment and Notes – Go Back and Identify/Map Nouns with C-map

• Phase 2:– Read Through Textbook and Notes– Go Back and Identify/Map Noun-Verb-Noun/Adjective Relationships

with C-map• Phase 3:

– Study and Think (hard) about the Concept Map– Identify Unclear (in your mind) Meanings– Check for Sense of Completeness– Check for Sense of Consistency– Reference the Text for Clarification– Update the Concept Map Accordingly– Repeat the Preceding

Some Additional Advice

• Stick With It! – Must Do It Several Times for It to Seem Natural– Get to the Point Where You Are Uncomfortable Studying Without

Using Concept Maps• Think Hard and Ask Yourself Questions!

– What Does a Passage or Paragraph in the Source Material Mean?– Is the Concept Map Complete?– Is the Concept Map Coherent? Does It Make Sense?– Don’t Quit Until You Have Figured It Out and You Understand Your

Concept Map