Using mind mapping literature to enrich managerial intellectual learning
(MIL) study: an exploratory exercise
Joseph Kim-keung Ho
Independent Trainer
Hong Kong, China
Dated: July 9, 2016
Abstract: The subjects of mind mapping and managerial intellectual learning (MIL)
share the goals of using diagrams to improve intellectual learning. Although
the two subjects are conceptually based on different theories, their
theoretical groundings are not incompatible. As a matter of fact, it is intellectually
rewarding to conduct a literature review to draw on mind mapping concepts and
practical advices for enrichment of MIL subject. This paper takes up this exploratory
task and comes up with some conceptual findings for MIL study. Finally, the
paper encourages more research efforts on cross-fertilization of ideas between
the mind mapping and MIL fields.
Keywords: diagramming-based literature review, literature
review, managerial intellectual learning (MIL), mind mapping
This
paper is a slightly revised version of
the article as: Ho,
J.K.K. 2016. “Using mind mapping literature to enrich the subject of
managerial intellectual learning (MIL): an exploratory exercise” European
Academic Research 4(4) July: 3483-3497.
Introduction
In the subject of managerial intellectual learning
(MIL), launched by Ho in 2013 (Ho, 2013), the use of diagramming, e.g.,
multi-perspective, systems-based frameworks, cognitive maps, rich pictures, systems
diagrams and mind maps, has been recognized as a vital learning approach (Ho,
2015). These diagrams facilitate the rendering of knowledge structures, some
general while others context-specific; they constitute the cognitive filters
for managers to cope with issues and concerns in their world of management
practices. Recently, diagramming-based literature review, using mind mapping,
systems mapping and cognitive mapping, is specifically investigated by this
writer as a topic in managerial intellectual learning (MIL) (Ho, 2016a; 2016b;
2016c). This paper takes a closer look at the literature on mind mapping with
the two aims of (i) more clearly establishing the conceptual rationale of
diagramming for managerial intellectual learning (MIL) [aim 1] and (ii)
enriching the subject of managerial intellectual learning (MIL) with ideas from
the mind mapping literature [aim 2]. Aim 1 is more specific than aim 2. Other
than that, they are closely related. Such an intellectual endeavour is
essentially a literature review exercise to contribute to the theoretical
development of managerial intellectual learning (MIL). It is a theoretical
exercise, not an empirical study. The paper involves a brief literature review
on mind mapping and managerial intellectual learning (MIL). Armed with the
literature review findings on mind mapping and MIL, it then examines how to
enrich MIL with mind mapping ideas.
The
main ideas underlying the mind mapping literature
Mind mapping was initially proposed by Tony
Buzan in 1974 (Buzan and Buzan, 1995). Similar exercises could be traced back
to the third century on illustration of Aristotle’s ideas (Gotz, 2012); it was also
inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, among others (Buzan and Buzan,
1995). For Buzan and Buzan (1995), a mind map is an expression of Radiant
Thinking. And Radiant Thinking is explained as “associated thought processes
that proceed from or connect to a central point”. The underlying mind mapping ideas
as explained in the literature are grouped into the following five categories
by this writer:
Category
1: On mind mapping characteristics (4 ideas)
Idea 1.1.
Mind
mapping supports learning that is idiosyncratic and experiential-based
(Abi-El-Mona and Abd-El-Khalick, 2008);
Idea
1.2.
Mind
mapping promotes conceptual links among ideas in non-linear and holistic ways
for meaningful learning (Abi-El-Mona and Abd-El-Khalick, 2008);
Idea
1.3.
Mind mapping
utilizes “the full range of cortical skills – word, image, number, logic,
rhythm, colour and spatial awareness – in a single uniquely powerful technique”
(Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea 1.4.
Mind
mapping promotes active learning instead of passive learning[1]
(D’Antoni et al., 2009);
Category
2: On mind mapping activities and techniques
(9 ideas)
Idea 2.1.
Basic
mind mapping steps comprises: (i) arm yourself with blank papers and colored
felt-tip pens, (ii) get into the frame of mind for new and creative thought,
(iii) select key word or image, (iv) branch off ideas from the central theme,
(v) apply one color for each branch, (vi) use one word for each branch, (vii)
usage of images is preferred over words, and (viii) refigure, refine and
finalize your mind map (Anon., 1998);
Idea
2.2.
Group
mind mapping chiefly involves seven stages: (i) “defining the subject”, (ii)
“individual brainstorming”, (iii) “single group discussion”, (iv) “creation of
first multiple mind map”, (v) “incubation”, (vi) “second reconstruction and
revision”, (vii) “analysis and decision making” (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
2.3.
Mind
mapping enables sketching out main ideas and their relatedness before
“committing words to paper” (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
2.4.
Different
views of participants in discussion sessions can be distinguished in a mind map
with different colours (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
2.5.
Mind
mapping is not only used for note-taking (i.e., summarizing thoughts) but also
for note-making (i.e., organising thoughts) in individual and group settings (Buzan
and Buzan, 1995; Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
2.6.
For
focus group discussion, participants could comment and make corrections on the
evolving mind map (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
2.7.
In
focus group sessions, participants are encouraged to “sort the emerging
concepts into categories” themselves so as to avoid researchers’ bias in
qualitative data analysis (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
2.8.
Skilful
facilitators are required for employing mind mapping in focus group sessions (Burgess-Allen
and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea 2.9.
Quality
of mind maps could be assessed with mind map assessment rubric (MMAR) (D’Antoni
et al., 2009);
Category
3: On theoretical justifications (5 ideas)
Idea 3.1.
Human
brain functions much better when its physical and intellectual skills work
together harmoniously (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
3.2.
Mind
mapping reflects human’s natural thinking patterns (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
3.3.
Mind
mapping allows an expanding endeavor of associative ‘probes’ to investigate
idea and questions, which is compatible with the gestalt nature of human brains’
working (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
3.4.
Human
brains are better at remembering things that are: (i) appealing to any of the
five senses, (ii) interesting, (iii) outstanding, and (iv) associated to things
already learned (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea 3.5.
Mind
mapping is in line with cognitive constructivist theory thinking. With this
thinking, “in the process of construction of new information, previous
knowledge structures may undergo transformation, including (a) conceptual
growth (structures will be partly supplemented or broadened) or (b) conceptual
change (rearrangement of existing and/or development of new cognitive
structures) as the learners actively searches for ways to merge new knowledge
within existing frameworks” (Dhindsa et
al., 2010);
Category
4: On benefits and limitations of mind mapping
usage (10 ideas)
Idea 4.1.
Mind
mapping enables speedy qualitative data gathering and data analysis with focus
groups; as a result, more focus group sessions can be conducted (Burgess-Allen
and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
4.2.
Mind
mapping aids “intellectual exploration and growth”, thus also increasing
changes of “mental breakthroughs” (Buzan and Buzan, 1995);
Idea
4.3.
Mind
mapping makes free thinking, e.g., on reflection of a subject’s assumptions,
more feasible (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
4.4.
Group
mind mapping enables and stimulates participants to discuss themes and issues
more holistically (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea
4.5.
In
business settings, mind mapping enhances creativity, memory, learning,
cooperation, progress monitoring and goal envisioning (Anon., 1998);
Idea
4.6.
In
education settings, online mind mapping promotes occurrence of long-term
memory, interaction among students, construction of knowledge frameworks and
personal knowledge management (Liu et al.,
2015);
Idea
4.7.
In the
education setting, mind mapping enhances the visibility and logic correlation
among knowledge points in learning (Wang et
al., 2014);
Idea
4.8.
Mind
mapping is especially useful (i) with “communities whose cultures are strong on
visual communication” and (ii) in cross-cultural situations where learners are
weak in written English (Lloyd et al.,
2010);
Idea
4.9.
Mind
mappers could experience difficulty to capture contradictory or unclearly
expressed comments in group discussion (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Idea 4.10.
Mind
mapping is good at dealing with “what”-type of questions, but less so with
“why”-type questions (Burgess-Allen and Owen-Smith, 2010);
Category
5: On application domains (6 ideas)
Idea 5.1.
Mind
mapping applications include: (i) group mind mapping for joint creativity,
combined recall, group decision-making, group project management, (ii) training
and education, (iii) self analysis, (iv) personal problem-solving, (v) mind map
diary, (vi) mind mapping a book, (vii) mind mapping for time management, (viii)
mind mapping for meetings, (ix) mind mapping
for essays, (x) mind mapping for examination, (xi) mind mapping for
presentation, (xii) mind mapping for personal information management and (xiii)
computer-based mind mapping (Buzan and Buzan, 1995; Naqbi, 2011; Pollitt, 2003;
Fourie, 2011; Abi-El-Mona and Abd-El-Khalick, 2008; Lloyd et al., 2010; Gellert and Cristea, 2010; Zampetakis and Tsironis,
2007);
Idea
5.2.
Online
mind map can serve as interface of learning resource integration and sharing
(Liu et al., 2015);
Idea
5.3.
Interactive
mind map widgets can be employed to enhance documents classification and
retrieval (Xuan et al., 2013);
Idea
5.4.
Mind
mapping can be employed in computerized visualization for text analysis, e.g.,
for expression of wine taste (Hirokawa et
al., 2014);
Idea
5.5.
Mind
mapping has been employed for computer-supported collaborative learning (Koznov
and Pliskin, 2008);
Idea 5.6.
Mind
mapping has been employed to model semistructured documents in software
development projects (Bia et al.,
2010);
On the whole, some of the mind mapping ideas
are more related to diagramming practices; others are primarily associated with
intellectual learning. The former group of ideas is useful to answer aim 1 of
this paper while the latter group is more relevant for addressing aim 2. Together, these
representative ideas from the literature reveal the nature and rationale of the
mind mapping subject. This conceptual overview of mind mapping informs the subsequent
discussion on the main MIL ideas and the enrichment of MIL with mind mapping
ideas.
The
main ideas underlying managerial intellectual learning (MIL)
The full name of managerial intellectual
learning (MIL) is multi-perspective, systems-based (MPSB) managerial
intellectual learning (Ho, 2015). There are 9 topics in the primary MIL study
domain and 3 topics in the secondary MIL study domain (Ho, 2015). In this
paper, two main MIL ideas are chosen to facilitate the discussion. The first
MIL idea is the MPSB managerial
intellectual learning (or simply called managerial intellectual learning
(MIL)). It is defined as the Multi-perspective, Systems-based intellectual
learning by people on management concepts to be employed to inform real-world
management practices. The second MIL concept is the managerial intellectual learning process (re: Figure 1). It is
described in the form of a process framework with four phases. They are: (i) Data Management, (ii) Absorbed reading,
(iii) the MPSB knowledge compilation, and (iv) Practice-based intellectual
learning (Ho, 2014). They are shown in Figure 1.
The first concept of MIL (on “what is MIL”) underlines
the theoretical anchoring of managerial intellectual learning on the MPSB
Research; the second concept of the MIL process (on “how to do MIL”), as
illustrated in Figure 1 (Ho, 2014), portrays a set of inter-related learning
activities. From a literature review perspective, data management in the MIL
process is primarily a literature search as well as a preliminary literature
review endeavour. Note-taking is significantly involved in data management. Via
data management, conceptual growth is experienced. As to absorbed reading, another
MIL activity, a more intensive effort is made to memorize, understand and
critically reflect on the literature of a theme under investigation. In this
case, note-making (re: mind mapping idea 2.5), rather than note-taking, is
carried out. By performing absorbed reading, conceptual change and mental
breakthrough (re: mind mapping ideas 3.5 and 4.2) are experienced. As to the
MPSB knowledge compilation, the activity and experience of it are similar to
that of absorbed reading, except that (i) a set of MPSB concepts are explicitly
employed in the intellectual learning and (ii) MPSB knowledge structures (i.e.,
the MPSB frameworks) are constructed in this MIL phase. Lastly, practice-based
intellectual learning is chiefly action learning-oriented as well as
context-specific. This learning phase is informed by the other MIL learning
phases and vice versa. Also, regarding Figure 1, diagramming-based literature
review as elaborated on by Ho (2016a; 2016b; 2016c) is primarily carried out in
the phases of Data Management, Absorbed reading and the MPSB knowledge
compilation[2].
Diagramming is also employed in the Practice-based intellectual learning phase,
but it is not for literature review purpose. The existing mind mapping literature
certainly offers useful advice on practice-based intellectual learning, e.g., in
real-life work settings. It is not the intention of the writer to go into
details to elaborate on MIL and the more encompassing intellectual project of
the MPSB Research. Readers are referred to the respective Facebook pages (re:
the bibliography)
for further information on topics of MIL and the MPSB Research). There is a
also a Facebook page on mind mapping (re: the bibliography). The next
section takes up the intellectual exercise to enrich the concepts of MIL and
the MIL process with mind mapping ideas.
Enriching
MIL with mind mapping ideas
Both MIL and mind mapping share the common
goals of promoting effective intellectual learning in the face of explosion of
information and knowledge in the contemporary environment of learning and
management practices. For examples, university e-libraries and Internet search
engines, as literature search tools, are powerful these days. In particular, MIL
and mind mapping are both interested in:
(i)
stimulating
holistic and creative thinking in intellectual learning;
(ii)
facilitating
efficient and effective intellectual learning;
(iii)
improving
managerial practices via effective learning, both individual and group-based;
(iv)
using
diagramming to enhance and make visible knowledge structures generated in
intellectual learning;
It should be pointed out that MIL is grounded
on critical systems thinking/ the MPSB Research. As to mind mapping, it is
based on Radiant Thinking and cognitive constructivist theory (re: mind mapping
idea 3.5). The theoretical foundations of the two topics are not the same,
though not mutually exclusive. In this paper, the aims are to (i) more clearly
establish the conceptual rationale of diagramming for MIL and (ii) enrich the
MIL subject with the mind mapping literature. This is now done in the form of
Table 1.
Table
1: The two MIL concepts and related mind mapping ideas
|
The two main MIL concepts
|
Related mind mapping ideas for MIL idea
clarification and enrichment
|
|
1.
Managerial intellectual learning (MIL)
|
The four ideas from category 1 (on mind mapping
characteristics) and the five ideas from category 3 (on theoretical
justifications) are highly compatible with MIL; they serve to clarify the
characteristics of MIL.
|
|
2.1 The managerial intellectual learning
process: data management
|
Using mind mapping for (i) note-taking (idea 2.5), (ii)
associative probing (idea 3.3), (iii) conceptual growth (idea 3.5), and (iv)
promoting long-term memory (idea 4.6), is especially relevant for this phase
of the MIL process.
The mind mapping know-how (re: category 2) also offers
practical advice on how to conduct MIL data management.
|
|
2.2 The managerial intellectual learning
process: absorbed reading
|
Using mind mapping for (i) note-making (idea 2.5), (ii)
associative probing (idea 3.3), (iii) qualitative data analysis (idea 4.1),
(iv) intellectual exploration and mental breakthroughs (idea 4.2), and (v)
visibility enhancement and logic correlation (idea 4.6) is especially
relevant for this phase of the MIL process.
The mind mapping know-how (re: category 2) also offers
practical advice on how to conduct MIL data management.
|
|
2.3 The managerial intellectual learning
process: the MPSB knowledge compilation
|
The mind mapping know-how (re: category 2) offers
practical advice on how to construct MPSB knowledge structures in this MIL
phase (the MPSB knowledge compilation). So far, no MPSB frameworks have been produced
in the form of a mind map.
The existing mind mapping literature does not consider
the subject of the MPSB Research at all.
|
|
2.4 The managerial intellectual learning
process: Practice-based intellectual learning
|
Idea 1.1, which expresses mind mapping support to
idiosyncratic and experiential-based learning, is highly relevant here.
The mind mapping know-how (re: category 2) offers
practical advice on how to make use of mind mapping to conduct practice-based
intellectual learning. However, this kind of mind mapping is not a mind mapping-based
literature review.
Category 5 (application domains) provides examples of “practices”
in practice-based intellectual learning; this category also indicates how
computer-based mind mapping can be employed in this MIL process phase.
|
Regarding Table 1, the mind mapping ideas are
related to the two main MIL concepts, i.e., (i) managerial intellectual
learning and (ii) the managerial intellectual learning process. The table
indicates that mind mapping ideas from its literature is quite able to
contribute to the theoretical enhancement of MIL and MIL practices. Thus, the
intellectual value of mind mapping to MIL study is clearly established in this
exercise. In the writer’s view, MIL is also capable of enhancing mind mapping
theories and practices. This topic of how to enrich mind mapping with the MIL
literature is not dealt with here, though. In short, there are substantial
benefits in cross-fertilization of idea between the fields of MIL and mind
mapping.
Concluding
remarks
The intellectual
exercise presented in this paper chiefly relies on literature review by this
writer to achieve two aims:
Aim 1: more clearly establishing the conceptual
rationale of diagramming for managerial intellectual learning;
Aim
2: enriching the subject of managerial
intellectual learning with ideas from the mind mapping literature.
Both aims have been met via the exercise in
the form of Table 1. Specifically, in the mind mapping literature, some mind
mapping ideas are about diagramming while others are mainly on intellectual
learning. The intellectual endeavour conducted here is novel in both the MIL
and the mind mapping fields. For instance, so far, the mind mapping literature
has not considered the MPSB Research and the MIL subjects. This conceptual exercise
is, however, brief; more research works both theoretical and empirical, need to
be carried on this topic of ideas cross-fertilization in the future. It is
worth doing, given its substantial academic and practical values as well as
newness in the mind mapping and MIL fields.
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[1]
Passive learning is “learning strategies that emphasize memorization without an attempt
to connect and understand information” while active learning “encourages interconnectivity [between information]
and engages the learner in activities that promote meaningful learning”
(D’Antoni et al., 2009).
[2]
Diagramming-based literature
review in the MPSB knowledge compilation phase solely works on the production
of the MPSB frameworks. It is possible that MPSB frameworks can take the form
of a mind map, a systems map or a cognitive map. As to data management and
absorbed reading, diagramming-based literature review makes use of mind maps,
systems maps and cognitive maps, but not the MPSB frameworks. This is because
the MPSB concepts are not explicitly employed at these two phases for
diagramming purpose and the MPSB concepts are not explicitly captured in the
diagrams produced at these two phases.
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