Rubric

Conceptual map
The conceptual map can be understood as:
 a strategy to help the students to learn and the professors to organize the teaching
material,
 a “method” to help students and teachers understand the meaning of learning materials
 a resource to represent schematically a set of conceptual meanings.
(adapted from Ontoria, 1994)

Elements
The model raised by Novak, considers three fundamental elements:
 Concepts: are mental pictures, abstractions verbally expressed, indicate regularities,
common characteristics of a group of objects or events.
 Proposals: are semantic units formed by two or more concepts joined by appropriated
words that give significance.
 Linking words: words that join the concepts to form a unit of significance, So, for
example, in the proposal “the car is a vehicle” the concepts “car” and “vehicle” are
joined by the word “is” that allow us to have a proposal that makes sense and can be
determined as true or false.
Components
The graphic expression of a conceptual map is done by doing the following:
 Ellipses: although rectangles or squares can be also used, ellipses are he ones that
are usually used to represent the concepts.
 Straight lines: they are used to join the concepts, they are always interrupted or cut, to
allow the integration of the new linking words, when the concepts that are related are
placed in the same horizontal level or different levels of horizontal development of the
map, an arrow is used to join them. (crossed link)
Development of a conceptual map
For the development of a conceptual map (done by the profesor, by the student indivudually
or in groups, by the profesor and the student, etc), Generally speaking, the following
procedure needs to be seen:
1. Decide and agree on the concept matter of the schematic development.
2. Identify the concepts that are related to the first one.
3. Establish inclusive relationships between the concepts
4. Associate linking words between the concepts.
5. Keep establishing relationships with concepts from other levels
6. Check and correct the first approach to the map
7. Present, print, save, as applicable, final version.
Source: Arenas, A. (2005) Mapas conceptuales, mapas mentales y otras formas de
representación del conocimiento. Perú: Cooperativa Editorial Magisterio.
 Fulfills with all of the criteria that are pointed out in the development of a
conceptual map: The main ideas show a deep comprehension of the analyzed
content, the key idea is clearly expressed with reference to the topic and stands out
10 significantly, from the main idea subordinated ideas are detached in a hierarchic
way, from the particular to the general or vice versa in a clear way.in the pattern,
uses in a précises way the concepts, expressing the relationship of the ideas using
either keys, diagrams of arrows.
The main ideas show a sound understanding of the content, fulfills the requirement
of expressing the key idea. From the main idea, some other ideas are detached;
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however they are still related with the main topic in a hierarchic way. The linking
words indicate the relationship between the ideas
Shows an intermediate level of understanding and just some ideas reflect what was
analyzed. The key idea is confusing in relationship with the main topic. from the
8 main idea subordinated ideas are detached although some of them do not
correspond to the main idea. The linking words indicate the relationship between
the ideas in a confusing way
Shows a basic level of understanding and just one idea reflects the analyzed, the
main idea is confusing in relationship with the main topic. From the main idea,
7 some subordinated ideas are detached although they do not correspond to the
main idea. The linking words indicate the relationship between the ideas in a
diffuse way.
Tries to express the key idea but he/she does not accomplish it the ideas are not
clear y the content is minimum. Linking words indicate loosely the relationship of
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the ideas. The detached ideas from the main idea do not correspond to the analyze
topic
The main idea is not expressed. The ideas are not clear and the content is
minimum
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There are not linking words that indicate the relationship of the ideas. The
detached ideas from the main idea do not correspond to the analyzed topic.