Visualising knowledge structures in biology: discipline, curriculum and student understanding

Abstract

Concept mapping is discussed as a tool for the visualisation of knowledge structures that can be exploited within biological education. Application of this tool makes it possible to relate the structure of the curriculum to the structure of the discipline, in order to support the development of robust student knowledge structures in ways that reflect the professional practice of subject experts.

Keywords:

• concept mapping
• meaningful learning
• the expert student
• Joe Novak
• threshold concepts

Notes

1. Since the publication of that paper there have been four international concept mapping conferences (Spain 2004, Costa Rica 2006, Estonia and Finland 2008, Chile 2010). The 2012 CMC is due to be held in Malta. Information about these conferences and access to all the published conference papers is available at: http://cmc.ihmc.us/There has also been an explosion in the use of computer technology to assist in the production of concept maps, principally through the use of Cmap Tools that are available for free download from the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), available at: http://cmap.ihmc.us/