Concept Maps to Facilitate Meaningful Learning

Introduction

Meaningful learning lays the foundation for the success of learning in all areas. Significant challenges exist as learners learn complex materials while still maintaining a meaningful perception about what they learn. Zheng and Dahl (2009) pointed out, learners often encounter significant challenges in complex learning due to excessive cognitive demands in terms of the level of content processing, the availability of relevant cognitive resources, and prior knowledge. Evidence from empirical research indicates that prior knowledge resonates with meaningful learning (Ausubel, 1986; Ausubel & Fitzgerald, 1961; Surber & Schroeder, 2007; Winberg & Hedman, 2008). Further, Schwartz and Bransford (1998) emphasize the importance of prior knowledge by arguing that the learner may experience significant problems if he/she does not have the adequate schematic prior knowledge during learning. Thus, how to effectively develop learners’ prior knowledge becomes a focal point for many researchers who explore the issues from the perspectives of cognitive structures (Kinchin et al., 2000) and memory-related instructional pedagogies (Greenberg et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2006).

Par with the prior knowledge research is the focus on cognitive resources of working memory during complex learning. Baddeley and Hitch (1974) studied the role of working memory in learning and found that human working memory was limited in time and capacity. Sweller and Chandler (1994) argue that the limitation of working memory can significantly affect the learner’s learning, especially complex learning, because complex learning could take up working memory space and make cognitive resources less available during learning. Therefore, the instruction in complex learning must look into how learners’ cognitive resources can be optimized by using modern learning technologies such as multimedia and hypermedia to alleviate the cognitive load imposed by complex learning and make cognitive resources available for meaningful learning (Zheng & Gardner, 2020).

Studies have shown that multimedia and visual learning can improve learner performance by reducing cognitive load, increase cognitive resources and, thus, enhance their abilities in complex learning (Gardner & Strayer, 2017; Greenberg et al., 2021; Mayer & Moreno, 2003; Zheng et al., 2009; Zheng & Truong, 2017). Of various approaches to improve learners’ abilities in complex learning, concept maps have been deployed to facilitate prior knowledge construction and activation, and optimize cognitive resources for deep learning. For example, Zheng and Dahl (2009) found that concept maps enable learners to understand better the relationships among the concepts, ideas, and content during learning. An early study conducted by Roberts and Joiner (2007) reveals that concept maps, as an instructional strategy, facilitate cognitively challenged students (e.g., autism) to learn the content effectively. Results showed that students under concept mapping learning conditions outperformed those without them. To Kinchin (2001), although concept maps have displayed proven educational benefits for learners, their use in schools and classrooms does not seem to be widespread.