Concept Mapping

The concept mapping program used in this analysis is Bubbl.us. It’s an easy to use program that’s main function is to create concept maps that can be stored and saved onto your account and shared with others. To view my week 1 concept map click on the picture.

Concept Maps play an important role in education as it allows students to store and organise information in effective ways. Concept mapping matches in well with the cognitive theory of learning design. It acts as a guide to help students work through the three stage information processing model described by Mergels (1998). “Input first enters a sensory register, then is processed in short-term memory, and then is transferred to long-term memory for storage and retrieval”. The concept map helps students match new information to previously help information aiding in the transformation of knowledge from short to long term memory. Furthermore, concept maps can be used in the learning environment by students and teachers as a revision strategy. Once the information has been organised onto a concept map it makes for easy retrieval.

By allowing students to create concept maps via a digital technology, students are becoming more active in their own learning. Furthermore, by using a program like Bubbl.us, students can view other students work to gain valuable feedback and extend and refine their own knowledge. I believe that by using this type of E-Learning tool in your classroom your students will gain invaluable learning experiences, that are highly engaging, and rich in content.

• Image courtesy of Bubbl.us and Cooltext.com
• Mergels, B (1998), Learning Theories of Instructional Design. [On-line]. Retrieved 10, July, 2010 from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm