Post #3

What are concept maps? Concept maps are visual representations of information. They can take the form of charts, graphic organizers, tables, flowcharts, Venn Diagrams, timelines, or T-charts. Concept maps are especially useful for students who learn better visually, although they can benefit any type of learner. Learners can use concept mapping to elevate their notes from lecture, their assignments, even their memory. As a future educator I like to use concept mapping when creating lessons for my students. Getting ready for student teaching I create lessons along with my cooperating teacher and I’ll use concept mapping to help me stay on task of the lesson and not sidetrack myself. Concept mapping adds both a tactile and visual aspect to a students learning to help them benefit as much as possible from a lesson. And addition to concept mapping, teachers can use the instructional video development process to help their students further their learning. Typically there are five stages of instructional video development process. The first step is gathering information, the second is instructional design, third is storyboarding, fourth is visual design, and the fifth and final step is to draft ones work. For the most part it’s rather self explanatory. I gather the information for whatever I am talking/ teaching on, then I need to decide how and when I want to teach certain parts of my lesson. After that I start to physically map it out so I can see what I want the lesson to look like. Then I’ll toss in the visual aspect, if I want to teach with images or maybe a prop of some kind. When I’m done with all of that I should have some kind of since of what my lesson will look, sound, and feel like so I can practice it before I teach it. Using both concept mapping and the instructional video development process couple together very nicely for both teacher and student benefit.