Concept Maps in Nursing Education: A Historical Literature Review and Research Directions
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Updated: Mar 13, 2026

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Published on: June 21, 2010
Background:
Although concept mapping was created in the early 1980s, research in nursing education first appeared in 1992. This literature review analyzes the impact of concept mapping in nursing education.
Method:
A total of 221 articles, books, and book chapters were reviewed on the topic of concept mapping in nursing education.
Results:
Results indicate that concept-mapping research progressed from the emergence state, to an expansion and adaptation stage, to an established stage.
Conclusion:
Nursing education could benefit from further research on applying concept map scoring formulas, using concept maps with simulation, developing knowledge models, and creating concept map-centered learning environments. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(11):631-639.].
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