Using Concept Maps and Concept Questions to Enhance Conceptual Understanding

Conceptual understanding is the ability to apply knowledge across a variety of instances or circumstances. Several strategies can be used to teach and assess concepts, e.g., inquiry, exposition, analogies, mnemonics, imagery, concept maps, and concept questions. This paper focuses on the last two -- concept maps and concept questions.

Concept maps are two-dimensional, hierarchical diagrams that show the structure of knowledge within a discipline. Concept questions are questions posed to students to encourage higher order thinking and help them understand the basic principles of a discipline. This paper describes progress at MIT in the development and use of concept maps and concept questions in aerospace engineering.