Assessment tool 1. Concept mapping as an instructional tool To organize course content By constructing a large concept map of all of the major terms and ideas of a course, the instructors can use such a framework to organize course content. This provides a way for the instructor to see connections between the course material and how to best present those connections to the students To prepare specific lessons Rather than mapping an entire course's content, an instructor may focus on the more specific task of mapping content from only one lecture to organize the particular lesson. An instructor may choose to teach course material through the use of concept maps to clearly show the students the connections between terms. To learn course material Students can use concept maps to take class notes.
Students can use concept maps to organize class notes or course material.
To integrate course content Students can use concept maps to connect material learned throughout the semester. To integrate material across different courses Often students fail to see the relationship between different classes that they have taken. Concept mapping as assessment To evaluate student learning Concept maps can be used to assess changes and growth in the students' conceptual understanding as a result of instruction received in the course. Such a trend may reflect an instructional area that needs further clarification. When using concept maps for assessment purposes, it is important to realize that less experienced mappers will most likely produce lower quality maps than individuals who are more experienced.