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Concept Maps and STEAM program example

SYSTEMS THINKING IN STEAM

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Agenda layout

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What are Concept Maps
STEAM and Systems Thinking Program Example

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What Are Concept Maps?

CONCEPT MAPPING

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What are Concept Maps?

CONCEPT MAPPING

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Concept maps are overviews of key ideas associated with a system, indicating content, relationships and behaviours within a system

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What Are Concept Maps?

Students need opportunities to present their abilities and understanding and to use the knowledge and language of science to communicate scientific explanation and ideas”.

(Tripto, Assaraf & Amit, 2013)

CONCEPT MAPPING

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What are Concept Maps?

CONCEPT MAPPING

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Concept maps were devised by Joseph D. Novak to understand children’s conceptual change in science knowledge.

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What are Concept Maps?

Recognising systems
Maintaining boundaries
Differentiating and quantifying elements
Identifying and characterizing relationships
Identifying and characterizing feedback loops

CONCEPT MAPPING

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Content

Structure

Behaviour

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What are Concept Maps?

CONCEPT MAPPING

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Assess the changes or effects that occur within the concept map

Describing past behaviour
Predicting behaviour
responding to changes over time
using leverage points to produce desired effects

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What are Concept Maps?

CONCEPT MAPPING

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Multiple perspectives such as cultural, social and political perspectives
Parts of the system, and reassess the system as a whole
Uncertainties and ambiguity
Allowing time to consider issues appropriately
Mental modelling

Mindset is overarching of the concept map and the skills involved to develop it. For example, when considering what elements to add to your concept map, you may consider multiple perspectives such as cultural, social and political perspectives. When forming relationships and feedback loops, relationships or adding new elements, a systems thinker may consider parts of the system, and reassess the system as a whole.

Also, when developing and strategizing the contents, structure and behaviour of the system, you may face some uncertainties and ambiguity, or need more time to consider issues appropriately. It is also important to emphasise that a system can be developed over days, weeks, months and years so the elements within a system are constantly being reevaluated. And finally,a concept map is a form of mental modelling in itself, bringing your thoughts, and ideas out of your mind and visually representing them.

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Concept Map Example

WHAT ARE CONCEPT MAPS?

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I have provided an example of what a concept map can look like. This is a concept map about climate change. Climate change is a very large issue so it’s better to start with a smaller topic such as food insecurities and climate change. However, we want to emphasise how large and complex a concept map can be.

This is a first draft and although not all connections have been made, after revision there is potential for many more connections and elements to be made. In this concept map we have separated the elements into 5 categories: Human impact, Natural impacts, changes to landscapes, data collection, and human awareness. The red arrows indicate a negative impact, green arrows indicate a positive impact, and black arrows are neutral. Dotted arrows indicate a weak connection between elements and solid arrows indicate strong connections between elements. Note also how each arrow has a particular behaviour associated to it. Pause the video here and try to follow feedback loops and also try and think of any other elements and relationships you can make.

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STEAM Program Example

SYSTEMS THINKING IN STEAM

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Program Example

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Program Example

Engage

Module 1 Lesson 1: ‘Issues Within a Changing Landscape’

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Program Example

Explore

Module 1 Lesson 2: ‘Large Scale Changes to Landscapes Over Time”

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Program Example

Explain

Module 1 Lesson 3: ‘Changing the Shape of the Land”

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Program Example

Explain

Module 1 Lesson 4: ‘Putting Rocks Back Together’

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Program Example

Explain

Module 1 Lesson 5: ‘Soil types and their drainage”

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Program Example

Explain

Module 1 Lesson 6: ‘The Variety of Vegetation’

SYSTEMS THINKING IN STEAM

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Program Example

Explain

Module 1 Lesson 7: ‘Meteorological Conditions’

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Program Example

Elaborate

Module 2 Lesson 1: ‘Field Trip: Applying Knowledge’�

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Program Example

Elaborate

Module 3 Lesson 1&2: ‘Soil Analysis (1) - pH and Organic Matter’ & ‘Soil Analysis (2) - Soil moisture’

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Elaborate Module 3 Lesson 1

Lesson Title: ‘Soil Analysis (1) - pH and Organic Matter’’�Inquiry Question: What factors affect the soil quality in the STIF region

Students analyse the pH data collected in situ using garden probes and, when possible, perform lab experiments using samples collected during the field trip. Data includes ph analysis, organic matter and soil moisture. Many data collection and analysis methods are used during this lesson. They also produce a meteorological report in comparison to the weather in the last week, month year and decade. Results compared and added to student concept maps

Elaborate Module 3 Lesson 2

Lesson Title: ‘Soil Analysis (2) - Soil moisture’�Inquiry Question: What factors affect the soil moisture in the STIF region?�Students investigate the soil moisture of samples collected using pixel counter. Results compared and added to student concept maps

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Program Example

Elaborate

Module 3 Lesson 3: ‘Vegetation - Data Analysis’

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Program Example

Evaluate

Module 3 Lesson 3: ‘Taking Action’

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Program Example

Enact

Module 3 Lesson 4&5: Communicating findings

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Program Example

Choose a NSW Science Syllabus of your choice and create a STEAM focused concept map around this topic to prepare yourself as a teacher to teach this topic in your classroom.

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