This meta-analysis reviews studies that examine the effects of using concept maps and knowledge maps on student learning. The analysis includes 55 studies with 5,818 participants, covering a wide range of educational levels and subjects such as science, psychology, statistics, and nursing. The studies used various instructional conditions, settings, and methodological features, and the use of concept maps was found to be associated with increased knowledge retention. The mean effect sizes varied from small to large, depending on how concept maps were used and the type of comparison treatment. Significant heterogeneity was observed in most subsets of the data. The analysis addresses several research questions, including the effects of constructing or modifying maps compared to other learning activities, the impact of educational level, setting, subject, duration, adjunct materials, and map type. The results show that concept maps are beneficial in various educational contexts, with particularly high effect sizes in African studies, possibly due to the simplicity of the syntactic structure of concept maps for second or third language learners. The analysis also explores the role of individual differences, such as prior knowledge and verbal ability, and the potential advantages of concept maps in collaborative and cooperative learning settings. Overall, the meta-analysis provides evidence that concept maps can enhance learning outcomes, particularly when used in conjunction with other instructional strategies and when tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of the learners.This meta-analysis reviews studies that examine the effects of using concept maps and knowledge maps on student learning. The analysis includes 55 studies with 5,818 participants, covering a wide range of educational levels and subjects such as science, psychology, statistics, and nursing. The studies used various instructional conditions, settings, and methodological features, and the use of concept maps was found to be associated with increased knowledge retention. The mean effect sizes varied from small to large, depending on how concept maps were used and the type of comparison treatment. Significant heterogeneity was observed in most subsets of the data. The analysis addresses several research questions, including the effects of constructing or modifying maps compared to other learning activities, the impact of educational level, setting, subject, duration, adjunct materials, and map type. The results show that concept maps are beneficial in various educational contexts, with particularly high effect sizes in African studies, possibly due to the simplicity of the syntactic structure of concept maps for second or third language learners. The analysis also explores the role of individual differences, such as prior knowledge and verbal ability, and the potential advantages of concept maps in collaborative and cooperative learning settings. Overall, the meta-analysis provides evidence that concept maps can enhance learning outcomes, particularly when used in conjunction with other instructional strategies and when tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of the learners.