Use of the Knowledge Tree as a Mind Map in a Gerontological Course for Undergraduate Nursing Students
Use of the Knowledge Tree as a Mind Map in a Gerontological Course for Undergraduate Nursing Students
Staja Q. Booker, MS, RN; Nicole Peterson, DNP, ARNP
Journal of Nursing Education March 2016 - Volume 55 · Issue 3: 182-184
DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20160216-13
Numerous teaching strategies, such as case studies, concept maps, mind maps, and games, are used to stimulate active learning and facilitate the organization of nursing knowledge in undergraduate nursing students (Shin, Sok, Hyun, & Kim, 2015). Specifically, the mind map is a graphical representation that is used to connect key concepts, aid in the recall of information, take notes, and learn collaboratively (Spencer, Anderson, & Ellis, 2013). The current authors developed the knowledge tree as an example of a mind map to conceptually and visually map the development and progression of chronic health conditions and their respective applications in the nursing care process.
In many ways, the development of chronic health conditions mirrors that of a growing tree. For example, for a tree to grow and develop, it must have roots; similarly, for a chronic condition to develop, it must have root causes. The knowledge tree activity consists of drawing a tree that shows the roots, a trunk, the branches, and colored leaves (Figure), which represent the following:
Assessment: The tree roots represent the root causes or risk factors, and the trunk represents the signs, symptoms, and diagnostics that stem from the root causes. Diagnosis, planning, and intervention: The branches correspond with the extending nursing interventions and medical management. Evaluation: The leaves denote the blossoming outcomes. Specifically, green leaves can symbolize the positive or expected outcomes, and brown leaves symbolize the negative or unexpected outcomes (the colors of the leaves are based on the preference of the student working on the assignment). Outcomes can be physiological, psychosocial, or spiritual in nature.
