A Systematic Review of Research on Collaborative Learning with Concept Maps

Concept maps represent knowledge as node-link networks that show concepts as nodes and the relationships among the concepts as arrows or links. Researchers and teachers have used concept maps as media for constructive learning activities, instructional presentations, and as shared materials for co-construction of knowledge (Cañas et al., 2003). Researchers have suggested that concept maps may also serve as an effective learning medium when implemented as interactive software (Cañas et al., 2003; Novak, 2002). An example of a concept map is shown in Figure 1. The map in Figure 1 has links that are directional and labeled with a relational term, but the maps used in educational research sometimes have non-directional, unlabeled links. Dansereau and his colleagues (e.g., Hall, Dansereau, & Skaggs, 1992; Lambiotte & Dansereau, 1992; McCagg & Dansereau, 1991) have used the term ‘knowledge map’ to refer to a type of concept map with directional links labeled AbSTRACT