CONCEPT MAPPING AS A TOOL FOR MEANINGFUL LEARNING

Concept maps have now been used as a research and evaluation tool. It enables students to visualize the structure of knowledge, interrelated concepts and the relationships among various concepts and sub-concepts. Concept mapping has been found to be an effective teaching method which enhances meaningful learning. Concept mapping was significantly more effective than the traditional or expository teaching strategies in enhancing learning. Cognitive mapping differs from traditional methods by making underlying cognitive structures transparent and giving a focus to the set of propositions by which learners construct meaning. Concept map structure correlates with the perceived data. They provide quick summary and help to identify topics to elicit new information. Concept mapping is a strategy that can be used to impart content knowledge with sense within a limited period of time.Concepts learned by rote learning tends to be quickly forgotten. Teaching methods and tools should transform knowledge from short-term memory to long-term memory. Several research studies have supported Concept mapping in academic and non-academic fields. This article describes how the concept mapping can be used to transform abstract knowledge and understanding into concrete visual representations. It is underlined that the Concept maps will serve as a suitable tool to support educators in promoting students comprehension and understanding of new concepts.