Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps(tm) As Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporations [Paperback]

Joseph D. Novak (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805826262 | ISBN-13: 978-0805826265 | Publication Date: January 3, 1998 | Edition: 1

This fully revised and updated edition of Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge recognizes that the future of economic well being in today's knowledge and information society rests upon the effectiveness of schools and corporations to empower their people to be more effective learners and knowledge creators. Novak’s pioneering theory of education presented in the first edition remains viable and useful. This new edition updates his theory for meaningful learning and autonomous knowledge building along with tools to make it operational - that is, concept maps, created with the use of CMapTools and the V diagram.

The theory is easy to put into practice, since it includes resources to facilitate the process, especially concept maps, now optimised by CMapTools software. CMapTools software is highly intuitive and easy to use. People who have until now been reluctant to use the new technologies in their professional lives are will find this book particularly helpful. Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge is essential reading for educators at all levels and corporate managers who seek to enhance worker productivity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Educational research would be greatly strengthened if more researchers based sustained programmes of research on well developed and coherent theoretical perspectives, as Novak has done.
—The British Journal of Educational Psychology

Novak's contributions could facilitate systemic reform in education, corporations, and beyond.
—Contemporary Psychology

Dr. Joseph D. Novak has spent a lifetime constructing a theory of education aimed at making formal and informal learning more meaningful, knowledge more conceptually transparent, and schooling more educative than maleducative....[In this book]...he elevates concept mapping from just another way of representing ideas graphically to a theory-driven tool that is consistent with what we currently know from various disciplines about the brain, learning, and memory.
—James H. Wandersee
Louisiana State University

Dr. Novak's work on the development of a comprehensive theory of education, along with a set of practical tools for implementing his ideas, constitute a major contribution to the field....There is no question in my mind that this book will offer teachers, students, and managers a unique and helpful guide to creating knowledge!
—Joel J. Mintzes
University of North Carolina, Wilmington

This book shows the range of fields in which his ideas have been helpful, yet it takes new strides with application to corporate R & D....Concept-mapping can be a more useful alternative to traditinal planning and evaluation. These tools are especially needed at a time when we are overloaded with information, and people need better ways to organize it into knowledge.
—Laureen Lopez, PhD
CPE Consulting, Chapel Hill, NC

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Joseph D. Novak, Professor Emeritus, Cornell University, Education and Biology, is Senior Research Scientist, Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (January 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805826262
• ISBN-13: 978-0805826265
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,448,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The culmination of a 40-year career in knowledge creation., January 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps(tm) As Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporations (Hardcover)

Marking the culmination of Novak's 40-year career in science education, learning theory and epistemology, this book offers a remarkably insightful, theoretically powerful, and eminently readable volume on knowledge making in schools, corporations and healthcare agencies. The focus of Novak's work is on ways of empowering people to take charge of their own learning and knowledge creation. In this effort he succeeds most powerfully in integrating current ideas from the cognitive sciences, philosophy, psychology, neurophysiology, and educational practice.

But this book is not simply for professors and other members of the "intellectual elite." It is first and foremost a helpful guide to teachers, students, business managers and healthcare workers who want to succeed in the competitive arena of the "knowledge age."

Perhaps the most important contribution Novak makes is his careful description [and multiple examples] of concept mapping and V diagramming as tools for facilitating learning, understanding and knowledge creation. Unlike many "recipes" and "panaceas" offered by others, Novak cites numerous studies that provide very strong support for the use of these powerful "metacognitive" tools.

This book is an extraordinarily important contribution to efforts that seek to empower people to become meaningful learners and knowledge makers. It should be read by every college student, every teacher, and by all those charged with managing knowledge professionals.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In Education - you should read this., November 23, 2001

By 

Paul R Trahair - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps(tm) As Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporations (Paperback)

I'm not so sold on concept mapping and v-diagrams (everyone's got their own angle) but Novak's analysis of the shortcomings of education this century is excellent. There have been enormous and important innovations in educational theory this century, but very little of it has been put into practice because of the nature of the institutions.
Never mind - if you read this book, you're bound to gather some really important insights into the nature of learning, creating and using knowledge, and if you're in education or training, you'll come away not only with a higher awareness of learning theory, but some exciting ideas to try in your own practice.

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable in many situations, November 15, 2010

By 

jring281 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge: Concept Maps as Facilitative Tools in Schools and Corporations (Paperback)

Although originally created and consistently lauded for helping kids learn science facts this book has proven valuable many times in helping adult professionals overcome the Will Rogers syndrome 'It's not what you don't know that hurts, it is what you do know --- that ain't so!' Time and again professional adults have been quite certain about their understanding of a situation only to founder in a matter of minutes when attempting to express themselves in the concept map discipline. More importantly when two or more people agree to communicate with concept maps dialogue occurs!

The combination of the CMap software and the book's usage rationale and examples creates a learning environment that has served many situations quite well.

My only disappointment is that the author did not choose the title Learning, Using and Creating Knowledge so that it could truly bring LUCK to all who read it.