What are concept maps?
A concept map is a tool used to show the relationships between different concepts, ideas, and bodies of knowledge. Concept maps are hierarchical in form, with one main idea or core question and a number of subtopics, crucial concepts, and linked ideas. According to Kinchin, Streatfield, and Hay (2010, p. 54), concept maps “are fundamentally graphic tools for organizing and representing knowledge.”
Despite how similar they may appear, concept maps and mind maps are not the same thing. Compared to other methods of visualization, concept maps often provide more information and relationships between ideas.
Concept mapping is divided into six stages:
- Timeline Setup: This involves identifying stakeholders, developing the focus question.
- Generation: Stakeholders work in groups to come up with a list of statements that are connected to the focus question that was developed during the planning phase.
- Structuring: Each participant groups comparable items into piles and assigns each statement a value for importance and adaptability.
- Representation: Data are used for multidimensional scaling. Each statement is represented as a point on a concept map wherein one can group statements when they appear visually close to one another. Further cluster analysis is then used to group related statements into clusters.
- Interpretation: In the case of interpretation, the investigators help stakeholders create their labels and interpretations.
- Utilization: Step six involves using the maps to address and comprehend the initial topic. The resulting idea map may serve as a conceptual framework for measuring and presenting outcomes and operationalizing the constructions of interest.
Using Concept Mapping in Evaluation
Interviews or group discussions with stakeholders and experts define a set of performance indicators. Statistical techniques are used to sort the indicators, for example, measuring similarities or differences between indicators. The same or a different group will then rate each program or country on each indicator. Ideally, the ratings will be conducted at the start and end of the program to measure change, but it is also possible to use concept mapping for retrospective evaluations.
The value as a counterfactual is enhanced if the sample includes sectors or countries where the program is not implemented. It can evaluate cross-cutting programs, including those operating in several countries, for example, gender mainstreaming or community empowerment. In other instances, the entire evaluation is dependent on the expert ratings. On the other hand, concept mapping is sometimes employed to pick a group of representative countries or programs in order to create in-depth case studies.
Further reading
Buhmann, S. Y. & Kingsbury, M. (2015). A standardized, holistic framework for concept-map analysis combining topological attributes and global morphologies. Knowledge Management & E-Learning, 7(1), 20-35.
Hay, D., Kinchin, I. & Lygo-Baker, S. (2008). Making learning visible: The role of concept mapping in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 33 (3), 295-311.
Kinchin, I. M., Streatfield, D. & Hay, D.B. (2010). Using concept mapping to enhance the research interview. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 9 (1), 52-68.
Novak, J. D. (1990). Concept maps and Vee diagrams: Two metacognitive tools to facilitate meaningful learning. Instructional Science, 19(1), 29-52.
Novak, J. D. & Cañas, A.J. (2008). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them. Technical Report. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Florida.
