Concept Mapping in Blended Learning: Graphic Organizers in International Management Education

This study explains the use of concept mapping to identify levels of preparation (prior knowledge) and increasing comprehension in an undergraduate-level blended international management course with non-native speakers of English. The case-study method was used to pilot a concept-mapping approach to teaching content. Concept maps were used in a face-to-face residency and an online concept-mapping tool was incorporated into the online portion of the course. Presenters contend that concept maps in this blended model successfully identified student’s prior knowledge, allowed the instructor to connect new information to this knowledge, and increased comprehension through in-depth discussion of content material.