Digital concept mapping in learning contexts: integrating knowledge, arguments and information resources

Students who self-regulate their study have to cope with an increasing amount of increasingly complex knowledge and information. This is particularly true for students in resource-based scenarios. Visualization tools may assist students in the easy and effective orientation of the status of their knowledge, as well as the access to knowledge elements and task-relevant knowledge resources. Most existing tools focus on the visualization of knowledge, arguments, or information only. It is claimed that concept mapping may function as a bridging technology. This paper analyses the potential of advanced digital concept mapping tools for visualizing knowledge, arguments, and information resources in an integrative and comprehensive manner. Structural, representational, processing and usability features of concept mapping are outlined. It is suggested that digital concept mapping may be used for effectively managing individual knowledge and knowledge resources in resource-based learning.