Concept Mapping as a Means for Binding Knowledge to Effective Content-area Instruction: an Interdisciplinary Perspective

The recognition of conceptual knowledge as a critical element in effective content-area instruction has been advanced by the development of concept mapping applications to instruction. This paper broadens awareness of how concept mapping can serve as a basis for linking instructional strategies that when combined with concept mapping form an instructional system teachers are able to use to improve the quality of student content-area understanding. Presented is a knowledge-based content-area teaching model incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives that provides the means for teachers use concept mapping in conjunction with research-based instructional strategies to improve the effectiveness of content-area instruction.