The current study aimed to compare the effect of using concept map teaching and traditional education on improving self-directed learning indicators of high school students in the thinking and media literacy course. The experimental and control groups via the quasi-experimental research method were used. Three classrooms were selected by purposive sampling as random arrangement (one concept map presentation class, one concept map presentation, and one construction class, and one control class). The course materials in the presentation and construction (combined) group were offered to the learners in the form of a concept map. Using the teacher-made and combined concept map method, the experimental groups were trained in 8 sessions separately and the control group was trained in the traditional method. In all groups, the Fisher et al., a standard questionnaire was used to assess students’ self-directed learning preparation. The research findings revealed that using teacher-made and combined concept maps has increased and improved the self-directed learning index and the traditional training has had a significant effect on the components of self-directed learning. The results disclosed that teaching by concept map method in a combined and teacher-made manner had a significant effect on the self-learning of all of them. Manuscript profile