The CMAP site provides a very useful freeware - Concept map Assignment

Internal Code: MAS4159

Concept map Assignment:

Concept maps were developed by researchers at Cornell University as a tool to be employed to diagrammatically organize and describe the relationship between concepts or ideas (Novak & Musonda 1991). This briefing paper will outline the general use and structure of concept maps and will then move on to describe the concept map designed for the purpose of this assessment. There are enormous benefits to relating complex information and ideas visually, primarily our brains are able to process the like with orders of magnitude greater efficiency than plain written text (Shepard 1967). In addition to assisting understanding, concept maps encourage creativity, discovery, development of new from old, and can identify knowledge gaps for further exploration. There numerous types of concept map varying with their application, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Examples include spider maps (or central concept), hierarchical/chronological, linear flowchart and systems maps (input/output) (Virtual Cirriculum 2006). Regardless of the type of map adopted, they all contain key features including concepts/ideas, relational lines linking two or more concepts, crosslinks and importantly, a focus question (Lucid Software Inc 2016). Creating a focus question as a starting point guides the designer in the construction of the map and is able to be used as a reference point during map development. Concepts or ideas are usually contained within a solid shape of some description that can be joined by a line containing a linking word or phrase describing the type of relationship between them and is usually directional. Ideally, the concept-link-concept forms a meaningful proposition or statement. Crosslinks are links between concepts in discrete areas of the map. The ability to create new crosslinks is where discovery, innovation and new understanding materialize.