Submitted by Lillian Ghorbani, Undergraduate Academic Assistant, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, UBC Vancouver.
Materials:
Attribution and Use:
This use case is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
Purpose
This activity helps students visually organize and connect ideas, reinforcing their understanding of key concepts (or learning principles). It supports diverse learners by offering an alternative way to process and represent information. Mind maps promote critical thinking by encouraging students to analyze relationships and identify hierarchies between ideas. Through mind mapping, students synthesize prior knowledge and new material, creating a visual network that demonstrates understanding. They also promote creativity by allowing flexible, personalized representations. This activity aligns with inclusive teaching practice by offering students another way to show their thinking, which enhances accessibility, and by increasing engagement through active learning and personal choice.
Learning Objectives
By completing this activity, students will be able to:
- Identify and organize key course concepts, principles, and ideas.
- Visually represent relationships between ideas.
- Synthesize information and see connections in new ways.
- Enhance recall of course material through visualization.
- Communicate understanding in a multimodal format.
Overview
Students will create a visual concept map that illustrates the relationships between 3 to 5 key ideas discussed in class. This map can be drawn by hand or created using digital tools. Concept maps can take various forms, such as flowcharts, mind maps, or diagrams, allowing students to choose the format that best supports their understanding. Students will also include a brief (2 to 5 sentences) explanation of their map to clarify their thought process. Lastly, feel free to include a brief reflection question such as: “How did creating this map help you understand these themes?”
Instructions
- Introduce mind maps: explain what they are and how they help visualize the connections between ideas.
- Show examples: provide sample mind maps related to course content to demonstrate different ways of organizing information.
- Tree maps: from broad themes to smaller details.
- Flow charts: showing processes or sequences.
- Cluster/radial maps: central idea with branches.
- Clarify steps:
- Choose 3-5 concepts (or learning principles) from the course.
- Draw or use digital tools to create a concept map showing the connections between these ideas.
- Add labels, arrows, and short explanations to clarify relationships.
- Offer tools: suggest options such as freehand drawing, Canva, or Lucidchart for creating digital maps. Make additional/optional templates or graphic organizers available for students who want more structure.
- Set/clarify expectations: emphasize that the focus is on connections and understanding, not artistic ability.
Barriers and Solutions
Barrier:
Some students may struggle with starting or organizing their ideas due to unfamiliarity with concept maps or difficulty identifying key points.
Solution:
Provide a step-by-step guide or sample templates to help students get started.
Offer prompts like: “In what ways does writing challenge or reinforce existing power dynamics?” “How does the concept of ‘citation justice’ influence whose voices and knowledge are valued in academic research?” “How can AI tools be used responsibly in research and writing?” “What did you learn from diverse/your peers’ perspectives?”
Allow for quick peer brainstorming (such as, “what comes to mind when you hear the term “citation justice”) where students can discuss their ideas before creating the map.
Benefit:
All students, especially those who prefer structure or visual aids, can confidently engage with the activity. Templates and prompts scaffold the process, making it accessible while easing nerves.
Evaluation
Completion-based grading. To receive credit, submissions must:
- Include at least 3 key themes or concepts in the map.
- Show connections between ideas (e.g., lines/arrows/labels).
Provide feedback on how well students identify key concepts and the clarity of their connections. Avoid focusing on visual quality or artistic skill unless it overwhelmingly obstructs their connections.
Possible feedback comment:
“Your concept map is clear, and you made a strong connection between X and Y! You might expand on how Z fits into the overall theme.”
Resources and Examples
For instructors who want a quick overview of how concept maps work in learning, the University of North Carolina Learning Center has a short guide with clear examples and explanations that can be adapted for class use:
University of North Carolina at Chappel Hill Learning Center. (n.d.). Using concept maps.
Questions or feedback? Contact Us