Before joining Inspiration® Software, I was exposed to a few visual learning strategies as pre-writing and brainstorming tools. In fact, I would argue that many of us who are not formal educators or studied in this area have informally used visual learning techniques at some time or another without ever knowing the proper name or purpose for them. After a couple of weeks on the job, I quickly discovered that visual learning and thinking is a complex strategy that includes numerous models that truly cannot be identified with interchangeable terms. A web is not the same as a mind map, idea map or concept map. These are in fact different visual thinking models that were developed by various individuals for very different functions and purposes. This Quick Lesson Idea will help you spot the difference between a Buzan-looking map or Novak concept map. Keep reading to learn more…
-
- Concept Map Example
-
- Idea Map Example
-
- Mind Map Example
-
- Web Example
Concept Maps
Concept maps are generally organized with broad concepts at the top and more specific concepts hierarchically listed below to represent knowledge and show the relationships among concepts.1 Joseph Novak developed concept mapping with his team at Cornell University in the 1970s. It began as a tool to demonstrate and increase learning in science, but was quickly used to represent knowledge among teams and individuals in education, government and business. Today, concept maps are used to brainstorm, take notes, visually communicate, generate new knowledge, increase learning and more.2
In essence, concept maps:
- are organized with a downward branching hierarchical structure
- and show the relationship among concepts with linking phrases such as “results in,” “contributes to” and “compared to.”
Mind Maps
Mind maps begin with one centralized word or idea that branches out into multiple associated ideas, words or concepts. Tony Buzan, a British psychologist, invented mind mapping to better accommodate individuals who absorb information in a non-linear fashion. In educational environments, mind maps are often referred to as webs, mind webs or webbing. However, general classroom instruction does not follow Buzan’s formal methodology for mind maps. These mind maps or webs are used for problem solving, creative expression, collaborative brainstorming and more.3
In brief, mind maps:
- have one central word or idea located at the center of the diagram
- and have multiple associated ideas, words and concepts branched to the main idea.
Idea Maps
Inspiration Software coined the term “idea map” back in the late 1980′s. Idea maps help students stimulate thinking, generate ideas visually and organize thoughts and information for writing and other methods of communication. Idea maps can be used for pre-writing, brainstorming, planning, improving retention of knowledge and for building knowledge.
Basically, idea maps:
- start with a main idea or central theme symbol in the center of the idea map
- and have sub-ideas in the form of basic shapes containing keywords or short phrases radiating off the main idea and off of supporting details.
GET STARTED: To create an idea map, begin with a main idea in the center. Then develop your thoughts with sub-ideas in the form of shapes, keywords or short phrases. You can use links to connect random ideas and thoughts together. You can organize your thoughts by moving symbols around, grouping related ideas visually, adding links, removing links, adding higher-level thoughts and connecting sub-thoughts. Move items around on your idea map until it is logically organized.
Then, expand your ideas by adding sentences and paragraphs. If you’re using Inspiration(R) or Webspiration Classroom(TM) service, you can switch to Outline View with just a click of a button. Now, you can develop your ideas in an outline to continue the writing process.
TIP: To further stimulate thinking, customize your idea map! You can add color to the symbols and links. What’s more, you can replace the basic symbols with pictures and symbols from the Symbol Library, your computer or the web. Visually representing ideas with colorful symbols and images helps to improve retention of information. This is important if the idea map is used to study, but less important if it’s used as a step in the writing or planning process.
Webs
Webs help students organize and prioritize information by demonstrating how different categories of information relate to one another. Webs are primarily used in Language Arts to create character webs, story webs and more to analyze stories and novels. Webs help guide students’ thinking to improve reading comprehension. For example, a student could create a character web to identify the traits and characteristics of a character in a novel.
In short, webs:
- have several major and central topics at the center of the web
- and have links to supporting details or ideas from the core concepts or topics.
To learn more about visual thinking and learning techniques, visit our website at http://www.inspiration.com/Parents/Visual-Thinking-and-Learning#visual-learning-techniques. So while concept maps, mind maps, idea maps and webs are all important visual thinking and learning strategies to generate ideas and organize thoughts, they are rather different.
What’s your favorite visual learning map?
Sarah Cargill
Thinkspiration Ambassador, Inspiration Software
- “Concept Maps vs. Mind Maps.” The Mind Mapping Software Blog. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. <http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/concept-maps-vs-mind-maps/>. [↩]
- “Concept Map.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map>. [↩]
- “Mind Map.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map>. [↩]
Thanks for the article. Can you take a look at my use of Cmaps and tell me which of your four categories you’d put these in? http://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servlet/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=1238727620187_1131671353_30231&partName=htmltext
Hi Dan,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your visual diagram! The example you shared fits the definition of a concept map because it shows the relationship between ideas with linking phrases. I’d love to see more examples you may have!
Hi Sarah, on the page I sent you you can see links to many other pages all created with concept maps and all either illustrating a strategy or showing the range of information in our web library to support learning and actions of many people to implement the strategy.
At http://www.tutormentorexchange.net you can see how we use other visualizations and maps to support these concept maps. We’re doing this with limited manpower and volunteers so would really like to find others to help maintain the information,improve the quality of the maps,communicate the information,etc.