1. Gavin W. Maneveldt1 & Louis Fourie2
Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology
1
2
Department of Information Systems
University of the Western Cape
P. Bag X17, Bellville 7535, RSA
gmaneveldt@uwc.ac.za ; lfourie@uwc.ac.za

2. Key Ideas Underlying
Concept Maps
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

3. Concept maps are based on:
• Theory of Knowledge
All knowledge is built from Concepts and Propositions.
• Theory of Learning
David Ausubel’s assimilation theory:
Meaningful Learning involves changing
one’s current knowledge as a result of the
comprehension of new knowledge.
• Research in Education
(Joseph Novak)
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

4. Foundation One:
Theory of Knowledge
All knowledge is built from
Concepts and Propositions.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

5. Concept
“A perceived regularity in events or
objects, or records of events or objects,
designated by a label” (Joseph Novak).
Life
Cell
Blue
Ship
Democracy
Unicorn
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

6. Proposition
An expression of the relation between concepts.
A basic unit of meaning or expression.
•e.g. organisms are composed of cells
•e.g. ship is blue
•e.g. cats have kittens
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

7. Propositions vs Sentences
“My son plays with the red truck.”
PROPOSITION CONCEPT RELATION CONCEPT
1 I have a son
2 son engages in play
3 plays with a truck
4 truck is red
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

8. Concept Maps
Represent knowledge using
diagrams that express concepts
and propositions
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

9. Anatomy of a Concept Map
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

10. The importance of the
linking phrases
Without the relations, our
knowledge would not “cohere”.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

11. An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

12. An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

13. An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

14. Foundation Two:
Theory of Learning
David Ausubel’s assimilation theory:
Meaningful Learning involves changing
one’s current knowledge as a result of the
comprehension of new knowledge.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

15. David Ausubel (1968)
“If I had to reduce all of educational
psychology to just one principle I would
say this: The most important single
factor influencing learning is what the
learner already knows. Ascertain this
and teach him accordingly.”
* Epigraph, Educational Psychology: A cognitive view
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

16. Key ideas
1.Distinction between rote and
meaningful learning.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

17. Key ideas
2.Meaningful Learning requires:
1.“The material learned MUST be
conceptually clear and presented with
language and examples relatable to the
learner’s prior knowledge.”
2.“The learner MUST possess prior
knowledge.”
3.“The learner MUST choose to learn
meaningfully.”
David Ausubel (1968)
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

18. Key ideas
2.In the process of meaningful
learning, people naturally construct
meanings for concepts and
propositions based on experiences,
building up their knowledge
structure.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

19. Ausubel’s Theory of Learning
Meaningful Learning involves
changing one’s current knowledge
as a result of the comprehension
of new knowledge.
… a process is called
“assimilation”
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

20. An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

21. Thus concept maps …
… represent knowledge using
diagrams that express
concepts and propositions.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

22. An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

23. Benefits for the Designer
 The process of drawing the map:
 Helps designer understand the domain.
 Is a creative process – new discoveries are
made as the map is drawn.
 Helps establish credibility with the team.
 The map itself:
 Offers the first chance to interject the
user as a guiding concept for the product.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

24. How to construct a
Concept Map
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

25. How to make a concept map
1. Identify the main concept
2. List related concepts
3. Draw a rough map
4. Identify synonyms and instances
5. Redraw, Redraw, Redraw
6. Get feedback from others
7. (Repeat 4-6)
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

26. CmapTools
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

27. Prof Joseph Novak Alberto Canas
(Associate Director, IHMC
Leader of the CmapTools team)
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

28. http://cmap.ihmc.us/
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

29. Currently being used in over 130 countries
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

30. Getting started
Examples of concepts maps
using CmapTools.
An Introduction to Concept Maps – Gavin W. Maneveldt & Louis Fourie

31. Gavin W. Maneveldt1 & Louis Fourie2
Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology
1
2
Department of Information Systems
University of the Western Cape
P. Bag X17, Bellville 7535, RSA
gmaneveldt@uwc.ac.za ; lfourie@uwc.ac.za