Editorial: Concept mapping: Improving learning and understanding

Abstract

Concept mapping has undergone significant evolution over the past half-century. Initially developed by Joseph Novak and his graduate students as a graphic representation to model the science understanding of elementary school students through interviews, it has now become a widely used knowledge representation tool across age groups and in a broad range of domains. Although mainly used to support meaningful learning, its application has expanded to an ever-increasing variety of applications. Those of us who have worked with concept maps for years and seen their potential continually seek to improve their use, with a focus on understanding how to construct effective maps, how the maps can support knowledge construction and learning, and how they can aid in the development of higher-order thinking skills and knowledge integration. Such improvements can come in various forms, including software tools that support these efforts. This special issue showcases a selection of papers from the 9th International Conference on Concept Mapping that aim to improve and extend the use of concept mapping to enhance learning, understanding, and knowledge construction and sharing. Each author offers a unique perspective within this common theme.