Week 4 Final PDF

Thinking & Cognition EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Lecture : 16 1  Introduction Cognition is a term referring to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and compreh...

Thinking & Cognition EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Lecture : 16 1  Introduction Cognition is a term referring to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension. These cognitive processes include thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving. These are higher-level functions of the brain and encompass EL language, imagination, perception, and planning. Thinking in psychology is the process of consciously generating and manipulating thoughts and ideas in the mind. PT It allows us to solve problems, learn new information, understand concepts, and process our experiences. N Thinking involves the entire process of learning, remembering, and organizing mentally to understand the information better and recall it later. Primarily there are three main types of thinking in psychology: creative, divergent, and symbolic. 2  Creative thinking is the ability to generate innovative, unconventional, or useful ideas. Research shows that creativity and intelligence are related to each other somehow ; There are also other factors involved in creativity; a person's imagination, environment, and personality can influence their creative thinking abilities. EL When there are many possible answers to a solution, we rely on divergent thinking to help us choose the best solution, like trying to answer or solve an open-ended question. PT Symbolic thinking is the ability to create mental representations of objects, places, events, or people in your mind. Young children do this often when they engage in imaginative play; N they turn toys and playhouses into symbols of real things. Characteristics of Thinking in Psychology- People with strong thinking skills tend to have several characteristics in common. 3  An active imagination, a creative environment, and an adventurous or curious personality can influence our thinking abilities. Those who possess expertise in a particular field and intrinsic motivation also tend to have more developed thinking skills. Concepts and Prototypes are also important features of Thinking. EL A concept is a mental category of similar objects, people, or events. PT Prototypes are representative items within each concept. They are basic mental examples of objects or people, like dogs, doctors, or police officers. N We compare new information to our prototype of the person, place, or thing, so we know how to categorize the new information mentally. Thinking in psychology is the process of consciously generating and manipulating thoughts and ideas in the mind. 4  Thinking as a Cognitive Process: Thinking is the cognitive process, the use of everything from long- term memory to come to an end or solution to the problem. Psychologists defined thinking as the manipulation (handle) of the mental representation of information. A mental representation may take the form of a word, a visual image, a sound, a data any other sensory modality stored in memory. EL Thinking transforms a particular representation of information into a new and different form, allowing us to answer questions, solve problems or reach goals. PT Thinking is a Symbolic process; the memory representations or symbols for a purpose. N The mental images or visual representations may be in the form of past knowledge, understanding of signs, symbols, concepts, ideas, visual pictures, words, languages, numbers, and diagrams rather than the overt activity. The systematic arousal of symbols helps organize thinking. 5  Thinking Is A Higher Mental Process- It deals with higher mental processes which examine thinking, knowing and reasoning, problem-solving, decision making, and understanding the world, communicating our thoughts to others, using our memory and current experience. It is only through thinking that we encode, process, store, EL retrieve and analyze information. Thinking Is A Sub-Vocal Talking- It involves implicit or inner behavior, mental images, and PT some slight muscular movements. We not just think only in verbal and mathematical symbols but also in gestures of the arm, hands, and heads, as well as N in a wide variety of expressive movements, such as shrug of the shoulders, arrowed eyebrows, a smile, etc. thus the whole organism/biological system is involved in thinking. Thinking Is Fulfilling A Need or Problem Solving- 6  It is always initiated by a problem and ends with its solution. It is evident when we produce new meanings, beliefs, and plans to solve problems or make decisions. Some problems are easy to solve while others require great effort, concentration, patience, and thought. The thinking goes on to trace out the required route to reach the goal, mentally removing obstacles. EL This process helps to understand the nature of the problem, identify the needed information to solve it, and then generate a list of solutions. Thinking can be seen in the “aha” (I got the answer) experience when PT people find the solution to a problem suddenly that had been in their mind for hours or days, later. Elements of Thought- N Mental images are mental pictures of our past experiences. Whenever we think of certain objects or events we visualize them in their absence. Images can be auditory, olfactory, visual, gustatory, or kinesthetic. 7  Concepts are the mental representation of a class of objects, people, events, and things that share common characteristics. e.g. animals, furniture, vegetables, etc. Concepts help to reduce our mental efforts and make communication easier with relative ease. They organize complex phenomena into simpler, easily EL understandable, and usable categories and help to solve our problems. Propositions-Thinking involves languages, percepts, and PT symbols to give meaning to our thinking process. Propositions describe the mental manipulation of these cognitive skills (languages, mental images, concepts) for N meaningful relationships to what we are thinking. Propositions form mental models which guide our knowledge structure with objects places and events of the world around us. 8  Thinking & Cognition EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Lecture : 17 9  N PT 10 EL  Cognitive Architecture- It is a theory about the structures that create a mind in natural or artificial systems. It focuses on how these structures work with each other and use the knowledge and skills that are incorporated into the architecture to create and manage intelligent behavior in various complex environments. EL A cognitive architecture alone usually is not able to describe human performance on any specific task, it needs to be provided information about how to carry out that particular task. PT This information is usually based on a thorough task analysis of the target activity that is being modeled. A cognitive architecture is also a piece of executable software. N It is code written by a programmer or several programmers. This is a major way in which cognitive architectures are different from the majority of theories in cognitive psychology. 11  Cognitive Hierarchy – EL PT N 12  Bloom’s Taxonomy Of Learning- Bloom’s Taxonomy is a system of hierarchical models (arranged in a hierarchical rank,) used to categorize learning objectives into varying levels of complexity (Bloom, 1956). Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies learning objectives for students, from recalling facts to producing new and original work. EL It comprises of three learning domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Within each domain, learning can take place at a number PT of levels ranging from simple to complex. Bloom’s(1971) Mastery Learning theory states that students would be able to master subjects when teachers relied upon suitable learning conditions and clear learning N objectives as guided by Bloom’s Taxonomy. The Revised Taxonomy -In 2001, the original cognitive model was modified by educational psychologists David Krathwol (a co- researcher of Bloom) and Lorin Anderson (a student of Bloom) and published as “A Taxonomy for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment”. 13  This revised taxonomy emphasizes a more dynamic approach to education; utilizes verbs to describe the active process of learning and does away with the nouns used in the original version (Armstrong, 2001). EL PT N 14  N PT 15 EL  The Affective Domain (1964) –(Concerned with feelings and emotion) The affective model came as a second handbook (with the first being the cognitive model) and an extension of Bloom’s original work (Krathwol et al., 1964). This domain focuses on the ways in which we handle all things related to emotions, such as feelings, values, appreciation, EL enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes (Clark, 2015). PT N 16  EL The Psychomotor Domain (1972)-Concerned With Skilled Behavior The psychomotor model focuses on physical movement, coordination, PT and anything related to motor skills. Mastery of these specific skills is marked by speed, precision, and distance. N These psychomotor skills range from simple tasks, such as washing a car, to more complex tasks, such as operating an intricate piece of technological equipment. This model was first published by Robert Armstrong and colleagues in 1970 and included five levels: 17  1) imitation; 2) manipulation; 3) precision; 4) articulation; 5) naturalization. These tiers represent different degrees of performing a skill from exposure to mastery. Two years later, Anita Harrow (1972) proposed a revised version with six levels:1) reflex movements; 2) fundamental movements; 3) perceptual abilities; 4) physical abilities; 5) skilled movements; 6) non-discursive communication. EL PT N 18  https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip- sheets/blooms-taxonomy Although knowledge might be the most intuitive block of the cognitive model pyramid, this dimension is actually broken down into four different types of knowledge: EL Types of Knowledge- Factual knowledge refers to knowledge of terminology and specific details. Conceptual knowledge describes knowledge of categories, principles, theories, PT and structures. Procedural knowledge encompasses all forms of knowledge related to specific N skills, algorithms, techniques, and methods. Metacognitive knowledge defines knowledge related to thinking — knowledge about cognitive tasks and self-knowledge (“Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy,”). 19  Thinking & Cognition Lecture : 18 EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur 20  N PT 21 EL  N PT 22 EL  Meta-cognition Metacognition is often referred to as “thinking about thinking” Meta-cognition is a regulatory system that helps a person understand and control his or her own cognitive performance Meta-cognition allows people to take charge of their own learning EL Involves awareness of how we learn, an evaluation of our learning needs, generating strategies to meet these needs and then implementing the strategies, PT Learners often show an increase in self-confidence when they build meta-cognitive skills N For all learners, meta-cognitive knowledge is crucial for efficient independent learning, because it fosters self-reflection Self-efficacy improves motivation as well as learning success; it fosters forethought 23  Two processes of Metacognition: 1. Knowledge of cognition has three components: knowledge of the factors that influence one’s own performance; knowing different types of strategies to use for learning; knowing what strategy to use for a specific learning situation 2. Regulation of cognition involves: setting goals and planning; EL monitoring and controlling learning; and evaluating one’s own regulation (assessing results and strategies used) Examples of meta-cognition skills PT 1. Knowing your limits- Knowing the limits of our own memory for a particular task and creating a means of external support N 2. Self-Monitoring- Self-monitoring our learning strategy, such as concept mapping, and then adapting the strategy if it isn’t effective 3. Modify- Noticing whether we comprehend something we just read and then modifying our approach if we did not comprehend it. 24  4. Skimming- Choosing to skim subheadings of unimportant information to get to the information we need 5. Rehearsing- Repeatedly rehearsing a skill in order to gain proficiency (i.e. practice) 6. Self-Tests - Periodically doing self-tests to see how well we learned something Meta-cognitive strategies: Meta-cognitive strategies facilitate EL learning how to learn 1. Asking Questions.-allows learners to reflect on our own learning processes and strategies ; allows for enhancing PT comprehension 2. Foster Self-Reflection.- Critically analyze our own assumptions and how these assumptions have influenced our learning N 3. Adopt Autonomous Learning.- Challenge how we learn information; Is it the most efficient and effective way of learning? If not try new strategies as a trial and error experiment until we find a strategy that works for us. 25  4. Find a Mentor. -Many people learn best by interacting with peers who are slightly more advanced; Look for opportunities to observe the proficient use of a skill by a mentor, ask questions and learn from their learning experiences; 5.Find a Group: Cooperative problem solving can enhance meta-cognitive strategies by discussing possible approaches with group members and learning from each EL other; can be an excellent way of testing our knowledge on a given subject 6. Think Aloud.- Reporting our thoughts while performing PT a difficult task; discovering any potential errors in thinking to address any sabotaging thoughts or N language while learning new information 7. Self-Explanation. -Talking aloud while learning new information can help us improve our comprehension of a difficult subject and bring to light our gaps in retention 26 8. Be ok with Making Errors.- To be given the opportunity to make errors while learning ;  allowing ourselves to make mistakes as learning is about the process of getting to know information, not the arrival at knowing information perfectly  Meta-cognitive knowledge develops with age, experience, and instruction Examples of Cognitive and Meta-cognitive Relationships: EL https://spencerauthor.com/metacognition/ PT N 27  N PT 28 EL Cognitive Task / Strategy Ex: Knowledge of finding the sum of a set of numbers * Cognitive strategies are basically knowing how to reach a goal, such as how to add the numbers to find the sum (like a study method) Ex: remembering things learned earlier that might help with EL a current task or problem Meta-cognitive Task / Strategy PT Ex: Add the numbers up again * Meta-cognitive strategies are to make sure that the goal N was reached successfully, such as double or triple checking the correct answer (like a confidence builder) Ex: monitoring and directing the processes of problem solving Cognitive Strategy Instruction enhances Meta-cognition 29  N PT 30 EL  Critical Thinking- Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. It’s our ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. Developing our critical thinking skills improves our problem EL solving skills, boosts our data-driven decision making ability, and gives us a methodology to tackle complex problems. Developing critical thinking is more about learning to embrace PT open-mindedness and bringing analytical thinking to our problem framing process. The most important critical thinking skills are: N Analytical thinking: Part of critical thinking is evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject bias and strive to gather and consume information to come to the best conclusion. 31  Open-mindedness: This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go and coming to a conclusion based on all of the information. Problem solving: Because critical thinking emphasizes coming to the best conclusion based on all of the available information, it’s a key part of problem solving. EL When used correctly, critical thinking helps you solve any problem—from a workplace challenge to difficulties in everyday life. Self-regulation: Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate your PT thoughts and set aside any personal biases to come to the best conclusion. In order to be an effective critical thinker, you need to question the information you have and the decisions you favor—only then can you come to the best conclusion. face value. N Observation: Observation skills help critical thinkers look for things beyond To be a critical thinker you need to embrace multiple points of view, and you can use observation skills to identify potential problems. 32  Interpretation: Not all data is made equal—and critical thinkers know this. In addition to gathering information, it’s important to evaluate which information is important and relevant to your situation. That way, we can draw the best conclusions from the data you’ve collected. EL Evaluation: When you attempt to answer a hard question, there is rarely an obvious answer. Even though critical thinking emphasizes putting our PT biases aside, we need to be able to confidently make a decision based on the data you have available. Communication: Once a decision has been made, you stakeholders. N also need to share this decision with other Effective workplace communication includes presenting evidence and supporting your conclusion— especially if there are a variety of different possible solutions. 33 STRATEGIES OF CRITICAL THINKING Affective Strategies – Mental Habits S-1: Independent thinking S-2: Developing egocentric or socio-centric insights S-3: Realizing objective thinking EL S-4: Understanding the relationship between feelings and thoughts PT S-5: Developing mental modesty and delaying judgement S-6: Developing mental bravery N S-7: Developing mental good faith and honesty S-8: Developing mental tenacity S-9: Developing trust in thinking skill 34  Cognitive Strategies – Macro Skills S-10: Clearing up generalizations and avoiding disturbing their meaning through simplifying S-11: Comparing similar states: Transferring insights into new contexts S-12: Developing the individual’s perspective: Creating/Exploring EL beliefs, views, theories S-13: Clearing up problems, results or beliefs PT S-14: Clearing up and analysing words or word phrases S-15: Developing standards for evaluation: Clearing up values and standards N S-16: Evaluating the credibility of information sources S-17: Asking basic and important questions, ensuring the continuity of questions S-18: Analysing or evaluating views, interpretations, beliefs, theories 35  S-19: Producing solutions or evaluating solutions S-20: Analysing or evaluating activities or policies S-21: Critical reading, clearing up or probing texts S-22: Critical listening S-23: Establishing relationships between disciplines S-24: Implementing Socratic discussion EL S-25: Thinking in terms of dialogues S-26: Dialectical reasoning PT Cognitive Strategies – Micro Skills S-27: Comparing and differentiating real implementations and ideals N S-28: Thinking perfect about thinking: Using critical vocabulary S-29: Paying attention to important similarities and differences S-30: Probing and evaluating premises 36  S-31: Differentiating related events from unrelated ones S-32: Creating rational inferences, estimates and remarks S-33: Evaluating evidences and claimed events S-34: Noticing contradictions EL S-35: Exploring products and results CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS PT A. Reliability of Sources B. Causal Explanation C. Prediction D. Generalization N E. Reasoning by Analogy F. Conditional Reasoning 37  1. Evaluating prejudice and consistency, 2. Differentiating primary and secondary sources, 3. Evaluating inferences and their causes, 4. Differentiating premises, ideas and claims, 5. Noticing the deficiencies of the argument and uncertainties of explanations, EL 6. Evaluating the sufficiency of definitions and suitability of results How to improve Active Thinking Skills- PT Writing Studying Mind mapping Discussing Debating N Meditating Consistent practice 38  N PT 39 EL  Five common and impactful critical thinking skills 1. Observation-Improving our observation skills by slowing down the pace of processing information and training ourselves to pay closer attention to our surroundings. We may also practice mindfulness techniques, journaling or actively listening in our day- to-day activities. 2. Analysis-The ability to analyze and effectively evaluate a situation involves knowing what facts, data or information about the EL problem are important. 3. Inference-This is a skill that involves drawing conclusions about the information we collect and may require us to possess technical PT or industry-specific knowledge or experience. 4. Communication-Skills are important when it comes time to explain and discuss issues and their possible solutions; can be improved through active listening and understanding others’ perspectives. N 5. Problem-solving-Ability often requires critical thinking to implement the best solution and understand whether or not the solution is working as it relates to the goal. 40  How to think critically ??? Steps to follow: 1.Identify a problem or issue. 2.Create inferences on why the problem exists and how it can be solved. 3.Collect information or data on the issue through EL research. 4.Organize and sort data and findings. PT 5.Develop and execute solutions. 6.Analyze which solutions worked or didn’t work. 7.Identify ways to improve the solution. N 8. Being objective without allowing personal bias, emotions or assumptions to influence rational thinking. 9. To only analyze a problem based on the context and facts collected after conducting thorough and impartial research. 41  Lecture : 19 EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Critical & Reflective Thinking EL PT N N PT EL  Reflective Thinking  Critical thinking is a broader concept, which includes reflective thinking  Reflective thinking has a very close relationship with meta-cognitive thinking EL  In reflective thinking, the individual thinks about his/her thinking and learning styles  Reflective thinking is a skill which can be displayed in PT parallel with the development of individual’s self- regulation processes N  Organizing, reasoning, developing assumptions and predictive skills of critical thinking skills are within the scope of questioning and evaluation skills of reflective thinking  DEVELOPING REFLECTIVE THINKING 1. Writing Learning Texts 2. Keeping Reflective Diary 3. Preparing Portfolio 4. Constructing Concept Maps EL 5. Asking Question 6. Self-questioning PT 7. Joining Reflective Discussions 8. Negotiated Learning 9. Self-evaluation N https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg936IW9i7Q  What is Creative thinking? Creative thinking is the process of nurturing our imagination allowing us to “think out of the box”. Creative thinking is the ability to consider something in a new way. EL Creative thinking can involve: A new approach to a problem PT A resolution to a conflict between employees A new result from a data set A previously untried approach to earn revenue N A new product—or product feature Creative thinking isn't limited to artistic types; it is a skill that anyone can nurture and develop.  Creative thinking requires a compilation of analytical, problem-solving, organizational and communication skills to evaluate and solve a problem. Creative thinking is all about developing innovative solutions to problems. Creative thinkers brainstorm not only a large number of ideas EL but also a variety and range of them. How to think creatively: Steps PT Gather what information you already have. Consider the obvious solution or process. Brainstorm additional solutions. N Consider how the topics connect. Apply the solutions  “Everyone is born creative” – Hugh Macleod Everyone Should Become a Creative Thinker Thinking creatively adds value not only to our life but also to the life of others. It helps us become self relying and more confident, EL Thinking open-mindedly gives us a reason to wake up every morning to start exploring new ideas and thoughts; it makes our life worth living. PT It can bring out hidden talents that we might have not noticed before. Thinking ‘out of the box’ makes us feel satisfied at all phases of our life. N The more experienced we get with thinking creatively, the easier it becomes to master difficult situations we may face in our life.  How to apply creative thinking in Learning Process- Risk Taking behavior Playing mental games & puzzles Regularly asking why, how, for understanding new information, Generating large quantity of ideas by thinking divergently for producing a big number of possible solutions to a critical problem. EL Day dreaming, imagination Reading a lot of stuff & travelling to new places, knowing different PT cultural practices/languages. Adopting Lateral thinking-It is expanding our thinking limits, freeing ourselves from boundaries, giving us the chance to explore things we never knew existed; N Allowing our mind to discover new options; Looking beyond normal alternatives ,searching for diverse strategies, resources.  Stages of the Creative Thinking Process- 1. Preparation: The Inspiration Phase 2. Incubation: Absorbing and Processing 3. Insight: The “Eureka” Moment 4. Evaluation: Putting our Idea Through the Wringer EL 5. Elaboration: Putting Pen to Paper for details PT N N PT EL Facilitating effective problem solving EL PT N  Problem Solving & PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL) PBL is a form of constructivist learning Exposes students to a complicated situation PBL represents a learning based on experience EL aiming to up skill students in learning how to learn and to increase their capacity for learning Students define the real problem and learn whatever PT is necessary to work out a valid solution by means of research It develops skills and motivation and maintains the skill for lifelong learning N CHARACTERISTICS OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING  The Steps for the Practice of Problem-based Learning Meeting the problem and defining it Determining what one knows and what he needs to know and putting his thoughts into order EL Gathering and sharing information Producing potential solutions and hypotheses PT Determining the learning issues The application of the new knowledge to the N problem and re-evaluation Identifying the best solution Explaining the problem and its solution briefly Evaluation and presentation of new learning N PT EL  The Role of the Learner in PBL Analyzing the problem situation by comprehending the structure of the problem broadly Developing practical solutions to the problem Undertaking a decision-making role in debates within the group Cooperating with the tutor and friends and determining the learning EL goals, which need researching for the solution to the problem Identifying the resources and strategies, which will be able to convey to PT the learning goals Assessing the conclusions one draws from the data obtained, that is, the learning products N Checking both the learning goals and the learning media Presenting his opinions in a clear and understandable way in which the other group members can conceive  Evaluating different views impartially Being aware of his roles and responsibilities individually Exhibiting behaviour of a type, which defends new ideas and situations and gets them across to the other members Congratulating and appreciating the other group members on account of their convenient suggestions leading to the solution EL Developing the knowledge infrastructure for the solution to the problem PT Being able to set certain targets, which may be useful in using suitable research procedures and directing the group Carrying out observations and practices taking into consideration N the processes used by the implementers of the field or the discipline related to the problem  Becoming the instructor of each other by teaching what they have learned to the other group members Metacognitive processing: An expanded level of awareness that allows us, in a sense, to observe ourselves in the problem solving process EL Being courageous in focusing on a new problem and on its potential solution Getting into contact with the external world and other PT people so as to discover concepts and to use his abilities Approaching problems and their solutions with new and original ideas N Being inquisitive during the process  Giving positive input to constructive criticisms Joining group work on time and on a regular basis Assessing his and his friends’ contribution to the group work in the course of it Finding out important resources for the solution to the problem and sharing them Turning the work into a report and presenting it to the class EL PT N N PT EL  ADVANTAGES OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING  The lesson is student-centred rather than teacher-centred  It develops self-inspection of students  It joins practice and theory  It maintains life-long learning EL  It provides active learning  It gains group-working skills PT  It gains problem-solving skills  It increases science literacy  It gains scientific process skills   N It gains highly memorable knowledge It gains meta-cognitive skills  Lecture : 20 EL PT N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur  It gains self-directed learning skills It gains critical thinking skills It gains cooperative learning skills It facilitates high motivation and positive attitude EL It gains communication skills It gains higher-order thinking skills PT It constitutes a model for teacher candidates It increases skills in using information resources N It develops decision-making ability 21st Century Learning Environment EL PT N New Learning Models EL PT N Technology Enabled Active Learning EL PT N Learning to be EL PT N N PT EL N PT EL  Concept Mapping  DEFINITION:  A concept map is a node-link diagram showing the semantic relationships among concepts  The technique for constructing concept maps is called EL "concept mapping  A concept map consists of nodes, arrows as linking lines, and linking phrases that describe the relationship between nodes PT  Two nodes connected with a labelled arrow are called a proposition  Concept maps are versatile graphic organizers that can N represent many different forms of relationships between concepts  EL PT N BACKGROUND: The theoretical framework of concept mapping is based on David Ausubel’s assimilation theory of learning [See Ausubelian Theory; Meaningful Learning],  A concept map is a type of graphic organizer used to help students organize and represent knowledge of a subject  Concept maps begin with a main idea (or concept) and then branch out to show how that main idea can be broken down into specific topics  Concept mapping is a powerful way for students to reach high EL levels of cognitive performance  A concept map is also not just a learning tool, but an ideal PT evaluation tool for educators measuring the growth of and assessing student learning  As students create concept maps, they reiterate ideas using N their own words and help identify incorrect ideas and concepts  Benefits of Concept Mapping  Concept mapping serves several purposes for learners: Helping students brainstorm and generate new ideas Encouraging students to discover new concepts and the propositions that connect them EL Allowing students to more clearly communicate ideas, thoughts and information Helping students integrate new concepts with older concepts PT Enabling students to gain enhanced knowledge of any topic and evaluate the information N  How to Build a Concept Map  Start with a main idea, topic, or issue to focus on A helpful way to determine the context of your concept map is to choose a focus question—something that needs to be solved or a conclusion that needs to be reached Once a topic or question is decided on, that will help with EL the hierarchical structure of the concept map  Then determine the key concepts PT Find the key concepts that connect and relate to your main idea and rank them; most general, inclusive concepts come first, then link to smaller, more specific concepts. N  Finish by connecting concepts--creating linking phrases and words Once the basic links between the concepts are created, add cross-links, which connect concepts in different areas of the map, to further illustrate the relationships and strengthen EL student’s understanding and knowledge on the topic A concept map is never finished After a preliminary map is constructed, it is always necessary PT to revise this map Other concepts can be added by student under the guidance N of teacher in classroom work Good maps usually result from several revisions Kinds of Concept Mapping EL PT N N PT EL N PT EL  Concept maps as Advance Organizers “Ausubel suggests that advance organizers might foster meaningful learning by prompting the student regarding pre-existing super- ordinate concepts that are already in the student's cognitive structure, and by otherwise providing a context of general concepts into which the student can incorporate progressively differentiated EL details. Ausubel claims that by presenting a global representation of the knowledge to be learned, advance organizers might foster PT "integrative reconciliation" of the sub-domains of knowledge - the ability to understand interconnections among the basic concepts in the domain.” N (Ausubel's Advance Organizers (http://www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/advorg03.htm)  Cognitive maps as concept maps Läge et al. (2008) suggest a strategy to support assimilative learning- Assimilative is understood as integrating new information into existing knowledge or cognitive structures without EL restructuring the current schema A stable and most notably a correct memory representation which "spans" the knowledge space is PT essential Building elaborately a basic structure as well as the N assimilative integration of new information can be eased with the aid of cognitive maps  Free Mind mapping software See also mind map Mindmeister (http://www.mindmeister.com) bubbl.us (http://www.bubbl.us/) Mindomo (http://www.mindomo.com/) EL Tex2Mindmap (http://www.text2mindmap.com/) (automatic generation from text input) PT  Maps by coding Some folks prefer using code to generate maps. It can be faster if precise layout is not an issue. See for example: Graphviz N https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMMRE4Q2FGk Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxrbptT3hUo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkgUP2lgqs4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3aZNaPY88Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkH0EGYqWO0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fEC5rFCATw EL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEKJ1nHxH1w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGyjF9Ngd8Y PT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aYWbLj0U8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pPriKf1f2o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC4Vaf2MrN0 N https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJu1uFokP6I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQlgx5biqCQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pzz6rDMd8c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHdy1xS59xA  N PT 84 EL