The effectiveness of concept mapping as a tool for developing critical thinking in undergraduate medical education – a BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 81

Promoting clinical reasoning in undergraduate Family Medicine curricula through concept mapping: a qualitative approach

“…Concept maps (CMs) emerge as flexible tools that facilitate knowledge integration across a wide spectrum of contexts, purposes, and variations in their application (Fonseca et al, 2023). CMs, first introduced by Novak in 1984, are visual representations of knowledge that connect concepts meaningfully (Novak, 2003).…”

“…This approach not only promotes knowledge acquisition but also its integration and accurate application, contributing to the development of clinical reasoning skills. CMs improve logical organization and clarify relationships between concepts, essential for students' critical thinking and clinical reasoning (Daley et al, 2016;Fonseca et al, 2023). Additionally, CMs help students summarize clinical cases or plan actions, thus advancing their analytical critical thinking and clinical reasoning competencies (Demeester et al, 2010).…”

“…We began this project with a literature review, which allowed us to better understand how CMs promote critical thinking. This review also indicated that their use varies greatly depending on the local context (Fonseca et al, 2023). Therefore, before proceeding with a large-scale implementation, we conducted a qualitative exploratory study to gain insights into the perspectives of students and tutors in their learning and teaching context.…”