Concept maps and story webs are visual ways to structure ideas. They show relationships between concepts. Because they require active thinking, rather than rote repetition, concept maps and webs assure that students have a deeper understanding of an idea. Concept maps graphically illustrate relationships between ideas. In a concept map, two or more concepts are linked by words that describe their relationship.
Concept maps organize, enhance and encourage understanding.
They help students learn new information having them integrate each new idea into their existing body of knowledge. Concept maps are ideal for measuring the growth of student learning. As students create concept maps, they reiterate ideas using their own words. Misdirected links or wrong connections alert educators to what students do not understand. For example, let's say we're studying solutions in science class.