

#Hyperlink in xmind software software
The purpose of this brief is to examine the affordances and limitations of CACM versus traditional paper maps, and to review free software available for computerized concept mapping.Ī second advantage of CACM is that they can be used to manage virtually unlimited information, whereas paper maps cannot. In contrast, CACM are flexible, less constrained, and readily amenable to both sharing and collaboration. Specific disadvantages of paper maps are permanency, space constraints, and limited ability for sharing or collaboration. Moving from pen and paper concept maps to Computer-Assisted Concept Maps (CACM) holds potential benefits for students and educators alike, bypassing many limitations of traditional paper methods. However, awareness of free technological resources that can substantially increase overall utility of mapping is limited.

Presently, many resources are available to learn specific concept mapping techniques ( Berglund, 2015 Heinzefry & Novak, 1990 Novak, 1990 Torre, Durning, & Daley, 2013). Examples of uses by nurse scholars include creating nursing care plans, conducting literature reviews, developing research projects, analyzing data, organizing and writing manuscripts, and designing courses and curriculum ( Ackley & Ladwig, 2008 McDaniel, Roth, & Miller, 2005 St Cyr & All, 2009 Tseng, Sue, Su, Weng, & Tsai, 2007 University of Tenessee Chattanooga, n.d.) Because of these advantages, concept mapping has been increasingly incorporated into nursing education. Use of concept mapping has been shown to produce deeper understanding of concepts and greater retention of knowledge compared to traditional teaching methods alone, such as reading texts, attending lectures, or in-class discussion ( Dhindsa, Kasim, & Anderson, 2011 Nesbit & Adesope, 2006). Concept mapping is a visual means of organizing information that promotes critical thinking and facilitates communication of ideas to others ( Beel, Gipp, & Stiller, 2009 Novak, 1990 Pudelko, Young, Lamarre, & Charlin, 2012).
