This research was prompted in part by the recommendation by Nesbit and Desperado (2006), that “more research is needed on the effectiveness of concept mapping as a prewriting activity” (p. 435). This study posed a previously untested hypothesis, and found that compared with text based planning, concept mapping had a positive effect on narrative development. The generalization of these findings could be increased by undertaking similar research with larger sample sizes and different populations outside of Faculties of Education. Although the results need to be replicated, the suggestion that concept mapping aids clarity in narrative development adds to the limited research on the use of concept mapping as a prewriting activity.
With current technology and the rise of social media, audiovisual communication is now an everyday practice. Creativity is what differentiates the plethora of video content that is mundane or crassly amusing, from quality content that is novel and comprehensible. This research evaluated the effects of planning method on the creativity demonstrated in photo story production, and found that concept mapping had a significant effect on clarity demonstrated in the photo stories produced.