Special Focus—Using CmapTools software#

The CmapTools Knowledge Modeling Kit software helps to “construct, navigate and criticize knowledge models represented as Concept Maps”. The application is available for download from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) at http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ . The best part is that the CmapTools kit is free for use by anybody, whether its use is commercial or non-commercial! In fact, schools and universities are encouraged to download it and install it in as many computers as desired. In particular, that means students and teachers may make copies of it and install it at home. Commercial companies need a license when they want to use their own CmapTools server, and a separate license for each CmapTools client that will talk to their own server.

The software is extremely easy to use. With it, you can make hierarchical maps, spider maps, systems maps, etc. To introduce how the CmapTools software works, I’ll guide you through installing the software, creating your first basic concept map, using the collaboration features and more. This will help you start using the software for your own learning goals right away!

Obtaining and installing the software#

It’s easy to download and install the CmapTools software. Just follow these directions:

  • First, go to http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ using your web browser.

  • Select a target platform for system requirements and download; e.g., Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, or Solaris.

  • Once you select a target platform and click on it, a Download image will appear.

  • Click on Download and a page will appear that requires you to register for the software.

  • Complete the form and then click on Submit.

  • Once you click Submit, another Download button will appear.

  • Click on it and the next screen will ask you to “Run” or “Save” the application. Click on “Save” and download the software into the directory of your choice.

  • Find the installation file and double-click it to run.

  • Follow the instructions on screen to install the software.

Once you’ve installed the software, go to Start>Programs>IHMC CmapTools> CmapTools to run the software.

Your first concept map#

Once you’ve installed and opened the IHMC software, select File>New and you’ll see this window.

In the middle of the screen is the instruction, “double-click to create a concept”. When you double-click the background, a node will appear in the middle of the window as shown below. Where the questions marks appear is where you will type in the text.

Let’s assume we’re doing an IHMC map on the various states of “water”. To enter the central concept, double click on the initial node and type in “Water” as shown below.

The default node is a rounded rectangle, but you can change the shape to a circle or a square by using the Styles menu (Format>Styles). The Styles menu looks like this:

By clicking on the Shape option, you can change the node to your preference (circle, oval, rectangle). The Style menu also allows you to change fonts, lines, color, background image, etc. For our example, I want the map to follow a “standard” IHMC format. I chose green for the text on a white background. With the Styles menu, you can change any aspect of a concept map to get the look you prefer.

Now you’re ready to start creating links to the nodes that will relate to the central concept of water. To do that, click on the concept then put the mouse on the arrows at the top of the central node. Click and drag in the direction you want to go. In the example, I “pulled” a node to a spot immediately below the central concept. This action creates a link at the same time. Notice that you now have a label for the link as well as the new node. Click on the link text box to enter the link label and on the node text box to enter its label. Type in “is composed of” to label the link and “molecules” to identify the text box.

The map now shows that water, at its most basic level, is composed of molecules. You can pull nodes and links in any direction you like and link the nodes in any fashion you prefer (in general, try to keep concepts flowing downwards from the main concept). You can also direct the “arrow” links in any direction as well by selecting that option on the Style menu. I’ve also updated the line and linking phrase color. The linking phrases are in blue, and the connecting lines are grey.

I continued the construction of our map by pulling the link and node diagonally down to the left as shown below.

The map now explains that living things need water. I then kept drawing the map by pulling a link and node to the right and downward as shown below:

The map now explains that water changes states. I then continued the map until it was completed. As you can see below, it shows the many examples of living things, molecular action, and the states of water. Notice how the links can join two or more concepts. These “cross links” help the reader visualize the complexity and interrelationship of the elements that make up a concept.

Working with Styles#

Once you’ve customized the look of a concept or link, you can save that look as a style. You can then apply the style to other objects in your Cmap. For example, click one of the concepts in your map. In the Styles window (select Edit->Style if it’s not visible), click the Add Style button:

The Add Style window will appear. Enter a name for the style. Then check the Include Background Styles check box if you want the current object’s background to be included in the style.

Click Ok to save the style. To apply saved styles to other objects, click the arrow at the bottom left corner of the Styles window.

You’ll see a list of all the named styles. Simply select a concept or linking phrase and then click on the style name to apply that style to the selected object.

You can get more help by selecting Help>Working with styles from the menu bar.

Saving a Cmap#

Saving a Cmap is easy. In the Cmap window, click on File>Save Cmap.

The Save Cmap As window is displayed. The window allows you to choose where to save your Cmap. You may also save the Cmap to your local My Cmaps folder or to the networked places folder. This window also contains form fields to input additional information about your Cmap.

Notice that you also have the option of exporting your Cmap in the following formats: Image, XML, propositions as text or Cmap Outline. If you wish to send a Cmap to someone else, you need to “Export as XML” and then “Import as XML” on the other computer.

From our demonstration, you can see that it’s very easy to construct concept maps with the Cmap Tools application.

Linking maps and other resources#

You can link maps and other resources easily with Cmap. To do this, first click on Windows>Show Views on the menu at the top of the screen. Once you do that, you’ll see the following screen:

Click on File>Add Web Page.

When you click on Add Web Page, you’ll get this screen:

Type in the resource name (the name to show in the views) and the URL (e.g., http://www.ihmc.us/ ). You can also enter a description and key words to help organize the reference and make it easier to access.

Once you’ve done this, you can then add the web resource to your Cmaps in the CmapTools editor. Select the concept you’d like to add the resource to, then select “Add and edit links to resources” from the Edit menu. Click the “My Cmaps” icon, then click “Add to list.” The web resource will now appear as an icon below your concept.

Collaboration features and sharing maps#

The CmapTools software allows you and others to build maps from the ground up in a collaborative manner. Servers are a significant part of the system, and this allows everyone to share knowledge on a project, company or worldwide basis.

In this section we look at sharing Cmaps, viewing them on the web, adding discussion threads and adding annotations.

Sharing Cmaps#

The Share My Cmaps feature allows you to share your Cmaps with others on a Cmap server and collaborate on their design. To learn how to use this feature, go to Cmaps Help (Help>CmapTools Help) and click on the Share My Cmaps option. You need to do this before using some of the collaboration features below.

Viewing Cmaps on the web#

Once your Cmap is on a server, you can share it with other users who don’t have the software. Click the “View” button at the bottom of the Cmap editor window:

You can then copy the URL and mail it to someone or add a link to your website.

Discussion threads#

Discussion threads (DTs) are discussion lists attached to particular concepts in a concept map. These threads allow users to question, criticize or comment on another person’s maps. On-line discussions are often part of separate software packages and are limited because they’re separate from the object or topic of discussion. In CmapTools, you can attach discussion threads to particular concepts within a concept map. This leads to more focused discussions because the discussions are on the selected concept within the context of the concept map. Through discussion threads, you can use Cmap Tools to collaborate on IHMC maps with others. For example, a group of students could jointly work on a project and collaborate during the construction of a concept map. Discussion threads allow them to comment on the map, modify it, etc. Collaboration can take place within one classroom or among multiple classrooms in different schools.

You can also use discussion threads in computer-mediated or distance learning situations. Using threads, students can ask questions about a concept map while instructors can begin their own discussion threads and invite students to participate in a discussion.

A third use of discussion threads is as peer review devices. Students, researchers and others can put a concept map/proposition on Cmap servers and invite comments in order to get input on the map.

Adding a discussion thread#

To add a discussion thread, you must first save your Cmap on a Cmap Server. Highlight a concept or a linking phrase. From the menu, click on Collaborate > Add Discussion Thread.

The software will ask you to name your thread. To avoid anonymous postings, check “Ask for user registration.” After you’ve created the thread, the message window appears:

Once you’ve created your message, it appears in the message list. Others can reply to it in follow-up messages, or create their own new messages.

Back on your concept map, the discussion thread appears as an icon at the base of the concept. Click on it to view or contribute to the discussion.

Annotating your Cmap#

If you give permission, you and others can add notes and annotations to your Cmaps. This feature allows everyone to clarify concepts or to give feedback. To allow others to annotate your concept maps, the Cmap must be saved on a server and the user must have “annotate” or “write permissions” on your folder.

To add annotations, highlight the concept or group of concepts that you’d like to annotate. From the menus, click on Tools>Annotate. The annotation box appears. Type in your annotation.

Click on the minimize button. Your annotation will appear as the yellow symbol on your concept. Double click to view it.

Finding existing concept maps#

With Cmap Tools, there are two ways to find existing concept maps—by searching or by browsing. It’s a good idea to search for maps of topics before starting your own map in the application. This can save you considerable time and effort. Browsing is a good option if you’re in the initial phase of a project and simply want a general overview of your topic in order to get started.

Searching for topics#

Before starting a concept map in the Cmap Tools application, do a search on your topic to see if there are other maps available. This can give you a “jump start” and save time and effort because there are thousands of maps available on different topics. Let’s assume you need to do some research on water. To use the Search capability for this subject, first open the Views window in Cmap Tools. Click on Tools as shown below:

Then, click on Search. This will reveal three options: Cmaps, Resources, and Web Information, Cmaps and Resources, and Web Information.

Select the Cmaps and Resources option. Let’s assume that you want to find some information on the structure of water. You’d type the word “water” in the What to Search window as shown below.

“Water” is a broad topic, so you’d like to refine your search. You do that by clicking on the Show Refine Search button at the bottom left-hand side of the window:

When you do that, the following window appears. On the left-side of the window, you have the option of selecting three locations: My Cmaps, Places, or the Web. If you want to restrict your search to only one or two locations, simply uncheck the boxes below those locations you don’t want to search.

You can also further refine your search by selecting the Select Result: Types to Return option at the lower left of the window. As you can see below, you can restrict the search according to the Type of Resource and Resource Properties. Or, for a broader search, you can check the Select All option.

When you run the search, you get the following results:

The search found over 202 Cmaps containing the search term “water.” To open one, you just need to double-click the entry in the results box. You could now go back and refine the search to find Cmaps with water only in the title, for example. You can now see how easy it is to access a large repository of existing knowledge by using the Cmap Tools search function.

Note: Searching takes a long time! As its searching many repositories, the search can take a few minutes to complete. Opening Cmaps from remote servers may also take some time.

Browsing#

To browse for various maps, sites, projects, and other items in Cmap Tools, click on Views>Shared Cmaps in Places on the left side of the menu. When you do that, a list appears below Places, and you can access areas that interest you. You can also browse through IHMC sample knowledge models by going online to http://pavo.coginst.uwf.edu/servlet/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=1064009710027_1421983319_27104&partName=htmltext . There, you’ll find a Knowledge Models concept map. Click on the icon below the Browse node. That will give you access to Cmap tools for navigating and browsing as well as a considerable amount of other information.

A great example of how browsing can give you access to extensive information is IHMC’s project with NASA. IHMC worked with NASA’s Center for Mars Exploration (CMEX) to organize information on the challenges and opportunities of exploring Mars in the form of concept maps. You can find these maps at http://cmex.ihmc.us/CMEX/Map%20of%20Maps.html . Click on Mars concept maps. That will bring up a Map of Maps on all things related to Mars—geologic processes and landscapes, orbiters, landers, Rovers, etc. It’s a wonderfully rich site if you’re interested in the subject of Mars and space exploration.

More help on concept maps#

If you require help within the Cmap Tools application, select Help>Cmap Tools Help. That action will provide you with information on every aspect of the application from creating a Cmap to printing the map out. You can find additional help by going online to the main IHMC web site at http://www.ihmc.us/ . From there, you can search the site for specifics on concept maps. Or, you can access research, Cmap Tools, or find out more about the history and staff of IHMC.

Summary#

Cmap Tools software is a free download from the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC). With the application, you can make concept maps of all kinds—spider maps, systems maps, etc. Cmap Tools is a very versatile and useful program. You can link to maps and other resources. You can use it as a teaching and learning tool. Through the use of discussion threads, you can collaborate with others on the construction of a map or share your maps with others. You can also search for and find existing concept maps or browse through IHMC’s sample knowledge models.

Exercise#

To conclude this section, I’d like to give you practice in creating an IHMC map. Create an IHMC concept map using information from this site:
http://www.sissel-online.com/article/water.php . The article stresses the importance of water in nutrition, exercise, and weight loss.

Here are your directions:

  • Go to Sissel-Online.com at the URL listed above.

  • Read the article “Water: The Body’s Most Important Nutrient”.

  • Extract the main concepts from the article and construct a concept map in Cmaptools.

  • Experiment with re-formatting the map using the Styles menu so it looks like the water concept map in this module.

When done, compare it to the concept map I’ve included at the back of the book. Remember: there is no right or wrong approach to creating a concept map. Use the structure that works best for your style of learning.

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