THE CONCEPTUAL MAP-TEACHING STRATEGY USED IN PHYSICS CLASSES

The aim of this paper is to present the notion of “conceptual map” in the context of Physics classes, notion viewed as a teaching strategy focused on the student. The use of the conceptual map is based on the theory of Ausubel, who stipulates that “the systematic learning of new concepts depends on the concepts already known by the student and on the connections which form between them.” This paper presents three types of conceptual maps: the “spider-web” type, the hierarchical one, and the linear one. The teaching method using these maps influences not only the students interest and curiosity for studying Physics, but it also stimulates their originality of thought, fluency in discourse and flexibility in communication. Thus, the essence of knowledge consists in the way information is structured. What is really significant is not how much one knows, but how are the things one already knows connected between them.