Cognitive maps: what they are and how to use them to educate

Learning, or the acquisition and assimilation of information or knowledge, is not something that occurs randomly, but rather People require study and repetition through exercises or experiences to achieve the assimilation of any subject or concept.

However, there are a number of learning techniques that can facilitate this task, one of these techniques consists of using the so-called cognitive maps. These cognitive maps are an excellent way to illustrate and capture a series of ideas or knowledge in order that the person can absorb and incorporate any type of information to your cognitive schemas.

• Related article: "Educational psychology: definition, concepts and theories"

What are cognitive maps?

A cognitive map is a strategic tool that enables assimilation and retention of any type of information through the graphic representation of ideas and concepts. This representation is expressed through the use of sketches, diagrams or diagrams.

The name of this technique by the word "map" has a metaphorical meaning, since it is used as a kind of geographical map through which the person can unite different concepts.

These cognitive maps are established in different ways depending on the procedures for collecting, filtering and evaluating information performed by the person. In addition, it is also generated based on the information load that the person collects from the context in which they are.

Another of their advantages is that they are moldable, and capable of changing over time as the subject adds information. As well as persistent and resistant to forgetting, as long as the person does not stop interacting with that context.

Main features

In addition to being an extremely useful tool for learning in any of the areas or subjects in which the subject may be involved, cognitive maps have a series of characteristics of their own:

• They are beneficial for the systematization of any academic content, in and out of school.
• They can help both the pedagogue as for the student when it comes to focusing learning on specific subjects.
• They are effective in constructing very concise or concrete meanings.
• They give the person the possibility of compare, differentiate, sort, group and organize a lot of information.

Functionality of these resources

Given the relevance and advantages of cognitive maps, they can be extremely useful for four aspects of the teaching-learning process:

1. Learning meanings

By constituting a graphic representation of how the student's cognitive structure is ordered, it constitutes a basic strategy when it comes to increase and improve memory management and memory of meanings, to synthesize concepts and simplify self-assessment.

2. Pedagogical strategy

The teacher or educator can turn to them as method of organizing and planning the subjects or topics of the academic curriculum.

3. Evaluation method

It can be widely used when comparing, evaluating and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the evaluation processes used by the teaching body.

4. Didactic resource

Cognitive maps are an excellent technique when it comes to organize the information or material that the student must learn or assimilate.

Given the amount of functions and advantages that cognitive maps can possess, they should be seen as something more than a mere tool in the form of an outline that uses student to organize the information, making both students and teachers aware of the large number of virtues and qualities that can be in the field of learning.

Structure

Like a map or learning scheme, internal maps have a specific structure that facilitates the assimilation of information. This structure is divided into two: the external structure and the internal structure..

External structure

The external structure of cognitive maps is the one that encompasses its fundamental elements. These are:

• Concepts: they are more similar to images and do not have to be identical in all people, since each subject captures the meaning or meanings of the concepts in one way or another.
• Propositions: they constitute the union of several concepts by means of linking phrases, thus establishing a semantic unit.
• Link announcements: they are located adjacent to the connecting lines in order to explain or specify the meaning of what is being expressed.
• Junction lines: lines that function as a link between the propositions.

Regarding the internal structure, this is what makes the cognitive map such an effective cognitive tool. This internal structure includes:

• Hierarchy: the concepts must be ordered according to their degree of relevance or inclusiveness. The more inclusive a concept is or the more information it contains, it should occupy a higher place within the structure.
• Sections: It must be organized into different sections that contain the most relevant information on a subject.
• Visual clarity: the structure must be visual and clear, highlighting the most important concepts or propositions of the topic.

Types of cognitive maps

There are numerous, pre-established variants of cognitive maps. The most popular ones are described below.

Sun-type cognitive map

The sun-type cognitive map constitutes a schematic with a figure similar to that of a sun, which has a main theme in the center and from which the concepts or ideas that are related to said topic are located.

The main function of this type of map is to introduce and organize a concept or topic, along with its main characteristics or descriptions.

Cognitive cloud map

It forms a diagram made up of figures in the shape of clouds, within which the information is arranged. As in the sun-type map, it starts with a main idea or theme, from which the subtopics that appear around it originate.

It is a technique when it comes to organizing and internalizing the characteristics of a specific topic.

Cognitive cycle map

It is a type of sketch in which the ordered information is recorded according to a chronological arrangement or by sequences, which ends up obtaining the form of a continuous seriation through the use of circles or arrows.

The start of the series must be noted in the upper circle, while the following stages are recorded in the rest of the circles.

It is a very useful diagram to symbolize temporary information or in the form of a circuit.

Cognitive map of common aspects

In this type of diagram, two different sections are established, joined by a common area. It is a very interesting technique if what you want is detect common principles, foundations or ideas between two topics.

Bad water cognitive map

The configuration of this scheme seems to simulate the structure of a jellyfish, scoring in the upper area the title of the subject or idea, followed by a series of boxes with the subtopics or divisions of ideas. Finally, the characteristics or principles of each subtopic are noted in the form of vertical lines.

The one used in this type of cognitive map is to organize the contents according to their themes, sub-themes and main ideas derived from them.