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 Back To Module ListModule Main | Module Description | Instructional Outcomes | Instructional Proficiencies | Instructional Events | Instructional EvaluationGraphic Organizers Author Susan L. (Fister) Mulkey, M.ED., Susan L. (Fister) Mulkey Educational Consulting & TrainingModule Description A graphic organizer is a visual-spatial display of information connected in a meaningful way to help students organize information. An effective way to help make a curriculum more accessible and supportive to all students and teachers is by incorporating graphic organizers into the lesson. There are many varieties of graphic organizers and there is solid evidence for their effectiveness in improving and facilitating learning outcomes for many different groups of students.
Graphic organizers depict the relationships between facts, terms, and/or ideas within a learning task. Graphic organizers can be powerful tools for teachers to use prior to instruction, during an instructional presentation, as well as following instruction for summarizing and review. They are perhaps the most common way to help students generate nonlinguistic representations of information. Actually, graphic organizers combine the linguistic mode in that they use words and phrases, and the nonlinguistic mode in that they use symbols and arrows to represent relationships. They are also sometimes referred to as knowledge maps, concept maps, cognitive organizers, advance organizers, semantic maps, (spider) webs, concept diagrams, and flowcharts.
Graphic organizers have been used across a wide range of subject areas. The most well researched use of graphic organizers is in the area of reading. However, the research base has also shown graphic organizers to be effective in science, social studies, language arts, and math. For example, mapping cause and effect, note taking, comparing and contrasting concepts, organizing problems and solutions, and relating information to main ideas can be extremely helpful for many different content areas. The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education (IARE) at AEL prepared a review of scientifically based research on graphic organizers for Inspiration Software, Inc. Twenty-nine research studies demonstrated that graphic organizers were an effective tool to support students’ thinking and learning processes in the following areas:
• Brainstorming ideas
• Developing, organizing, and communicating ideas
• Seeing connections, patterns, and relationships
• Assessing and sharing prior knowledge
• Developing vocabulary
• Outlining for writing activities
• Highlighting critical ideas
• Classifying concepts, ideas, and information
• Comprehending the events in a story
• Improving social interaction between and among students, and facilitating group work and collaboration
• Reviewing and studying
• Improving comprehension strategies
• Facilitating recall and retention
To receive a copy of the IARE report, send a request to research@inspiration.com
As an example, a spider web graphic organizer could be used to portray the schematic relations that make up a concept and could be very useful for vocabulary development. Generally, there are at least three types of associations that can compose a concept. They are associations of class (the order of things the concept falls into), property (the attributes that define the concept), and example (exemplars of the concept.) In the case of the concept of ecology, the class is a kind of study. One property of ecology might be the idea of respect. Cleaning up after ourselves, protecting the environment, conservation, and recycling might be examples of ecology. These relationships which are central to the concept of ecology could be graphically organized in a semantic map/spider web format where the word ecology is placed in a central circle with three lines extending from the circle, connecting to three additional circles (class, property, and example). This graphic could more clearly illustrate the conceptual relationships for students. Additional relevant information could then be written in branched off circles, which extend from each of the three circles.
Finally, graphic organizers can assist teachers in presenting information logically, sequentially, and in an organized manner. Likewise, these visual representations assist students in organizing, sequencing, and retrieving information. It is important to remember that there are many types of graphic organizers that can be used; however the teacher’s instructional objective and the type of information to be organized will determine the most appropriate format(s) to use. Students can also be taught to develop their own graphic organizers as organizational tools, note taking devices, and/or as a study aids.
This module will provide a basic course in designing and constructing graphic organizers. The module will also discuss the use of graphic organizers for a variety of purposes in practically any content area both in general and special education classrooms at all grade levels. The key topics highlighted in the module will include important reasons for using graphic organizers, types of graphic organizers, techniques, tips, and supports for constructing and using effective graphic organizers. Additionally, different versions of graphic organizers will be discussed along with ideas for adapting instruction and the use of graphic organizers during different parts of the instructional process.
Impact of Training/Professional Development
A) Improve Training/Professional Development/Technical Assistance
1. Targeted level: Statewide, LEA
2. Web module
3. Goal of activity: Skill Application Instructional OutcomesAt the completion of this module the learner will be able to:
Use a graphic organizer while teaching a lesson in a classroom setting and summarize how you used it for teacher guided instruction, guided practice, independent practice and for measurement. Standard 4: Performances #2, #4, #5
Standard 5: Performances #1, #5, #6, #7, #8,
Standard 6: Performances #1, #2, #3, #4, #8, #11
Standard 8: Performances #1, #4 To complete this module, you will need to: Study this module on graphic organizers,
Task for Completion and Discussion
There are four “Task for Completion and Discussion” activities that you will be asked to respond to throughout this presentation. These tasks will assist you by providing opportunities for deeper understanding, additional practice, and reflection on the content with others in your “discussion thread.”
Module Index:
Above average:
Summarizes a professional article/reading on the use of graphic organizers. Can write examples of different instructional objectives for the use of 4 types of graphic organizers (hierarchical, sequence, compare/contrast, and charts, illustrations, diagrams, and pictures. Develops 1 completed graphic organizer including the key information presented in this module. Develops and uses 3 versions (blank, partial, and complete) of a graphic organizer to teach an instructional objective, submits the organizers, summarizes the results, and discusses changes and/or improvements that could be made to the graphic organizers. Average:
Summarizes a professional article/reading on the use of graphic organizers. Can write examples of different instructional objectives for the use of 4 types of graphic organizers (hierarchical, sequence, compare/contrast, and charts, illustrations, diagrams, and pictures. Develops 1 completed graphic organizer for the information presented in this module. Below Average: Summarizes a professional article/reading on the use of graphic organizers. Can write examples of different instructional objectives for the use of 4 types of graphic organizers (hierarchical, sequence, compare/contrast, and charts, illustrations, diagrams, and pictures. |