While it is true that some students have difficulty building concept maps and using these, at
least early in their experience, this appears to result primarily from years of rote-mode
learning practice in school settings rather than as a result of brain structure differences per
se . So-called “learning style” differences are, to a large extent, derivative from differences
in the patterns of learning that students have employed varying from high commitment to
continuous rote-mode learning to almost exclusive commitment to meaningful mode
learning. It is not easy to help students who are habituated to rote mode learning to move to
practices of meaningful learning. While concept maps can help, students also need to be
taught something about brain mechanisms and knowledge organization, and this instruction
should accompany the use of concept maps. The information in the above paragraphs
should become part on the instructional program for skillful use of concept maps. The
information provided in this document could be part of this instruction. Other ideas for
improving instruction to achieve understanding of the subject is available elsewhere
(Mintzes et al., 1998).