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Concept Mapping: An Andragogy Suited for Facilitating Education of the Adult Millennial Learner

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How-to Guide for Active Learning

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Abstract

Novak and Cañas define a concept map as “a graphical tool for organizing and representing knowledge”. To better understand this definition, let’s review some key terms. A concept is a “perceived regularity in events or objects, or records of events or objects, designated by a label”. Concepts are usually (but not always) represented as single words contained within circles, squares, or other geometric shapes. Each concept is connected (linked) to other concepts, using words or phrases (linking words) on a line, to form propositions. Novak et al. describe propositions as “statements about some object or event in the universe, either naturally occurring or constructed”. Properly constructed propositions contain two or more concepts connected with lines and linking words or phrases to form meaningful statements and units of knowledge. These links may be unidirectional or bi-directional. How one formulates propositions establishes a hierarchy to the concepts within a concept map. Links between concepts in the same concept map but in geographically diverse locations are known as cross-links [1].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emergency Medicine, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Cohn Trauma Pavilion-Concourse, Manhasset, NY, USA

    Michael Cassara

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  1. Michael Cassara
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Correspondence to Michael Cassara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science Education, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA

    Alice Fornari

  2. Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Ann Poznanski

Appendices

Appendix 1

Concept map created using CmapTools [45].

figure a

Appendix 2

Concept map created by learners answering the focus question.

“What is needed to foster a culture of safety in healthcare?” [34].

figure b

Image courtesy Liebert, Eng, O’Connell, Ahmed and Hall (Students of Northeastern University).

Appendix 3

Concept map lists (“parking lots”) used for a concept.

Mapping-based educational practice for early first-year medical students [45].

figure c

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Cassara, M. (2021). Concept Mapping: An Andragogy Suited for Facilitating Education of the Adult Millennial Learner. In: Fornari, A., Poznanski, A. (eds) How-to Guide for Active Learning. IAMSE Manuals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62916-8_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62916-8_6

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