Showing papers on "Concept map published in 1995"

Concept maps as hypermedia components

Abstract: Concept mapping has a history of use in many disciplines as a formal or semi-formal diagramming technique. Concept maps have an abstract structure as typed hypergraphs, and computer support for concept mapping can associate visual attributes with node types to provide an attractive and consistent appearance. Computer support can also provide interactive interfaces allowing arbitrary actions to be associated with nodes such as hypermedia links to other maps and documents. This article describes a general concept mapping system that is open architecture for integration with other systems, scriptable to support arbitrary interactions and computations, and cutomizable to emulate many styles of map. The system supports collaborative development of concept maps across local area and wide area networks, and integrates with World-Wide Web in both client helper and server gateway roles. A number of applications are illustrated ranging through education, artificial intelligence, active documents, hypermedia indexing and concurrent engineering. It is proposed that concept maps be regarded as basic components of any hypermedia system, complementing text and images with formal and semi-formal active diagrams.

Concept mapping for the development of medical curricula

Abstract: Increased use of problem-based approaches to medical education has highlighted the challenges of curricular revision and interdisciplinary development. Venturing beyond disciplinary boundaries can be difficult, despite a desire to create interdisciplinary courses and adopt new ways of teaching. Concept mapping is an effective tool for developing an integrated curriculum. This article includes examples of concept maps that represent an entire veterinary curriculum, specific courses, and case-based exercises. The author argues that concept mapping is a valuable tool for curriculum development of any scope or discipline, but is particularly helpful for creating interdisciplinary courses and case-based exercises.

Can concept mapping be used to promote meaningful learning in nurse education

Abstract: Recent changes in nurse education have led to a desire in nurse educators to promote meaningful learning rather than rote learning of facts. A major metacognitive learning strategy that appears to promote this is concept mapping. However, many nurse educators appear to be unaware of this strategy's existence, or of the research evidence available that supports the claim of promoting meaningful learning. This paper sets out to address these issues. It explores the nature of a concept map, the research on concept mapping and meaningful learning and possible reasons why its use has not been noticeable in nurse education. By addressing these issues it is hoped that more nurse educators will attempt to use concept mapping in the promotion of meaningful learning.

Collaboration through concept maps

Abstract: Concept maps have been used in education, policy studies and the philosophy of science to provide a vi­ sual representation of knowledge structures and argu­ ment forms. They provide a complementary alternative to natural language as a means of communicating knowledge. In many disciplines various forms of con­ cept map are already used as formal knowledge repre­ sentation systems, for example: semantic networks in artificial intelligence, bond graphs in mechanical and electrical engineering, Petri nets in communications, and category graphs in mathematics. This paper de­ scribes the design and applications of groupware con­ cept mapping tools designed to support collaboration in dispersed learning communities.

Using Concept Mapping for Assessment in Physics.

Abstract: Quantitative measures of concept maps drawn by senior high-school students are shown to be useful in assessing the understanding of relationships between the concepts required for multistep problem solving.

Concept mapping in research on mathematical knowledge development: Background, methods, findings and conclusions

Abstract: The theoretical background and different methods ofconcept mapping for use in teaching and in research on learning processes are discussed. Two mathematical projects, one on fractions and one on geometry, are presented in more detail. In the first one special characteristics of concept maps were elaborated. In the second one concept mapping allowed students' individual understanding to be monitored over time and provided information about students' conceptual understanding that would not have been obtained using other methods. Regarding the students' individual concept maps in more detail there were some additional findings: (i) The characteristics of the maps change remarkably from fourth grade to sixth grade; (ii) There is some evidence that prior knowledge related to some mathematical topics plays a very important role in students' learning behaviour and in their achievement; (iii) Concept maps provide information about how individual students relate concepts to form organised conceptual frameworks; (iv) Long-term difficulties with specific concepts are able to be traced. These findings are discussed with regard to results of other studies as well as to their implications for the teaching of mathematics in the classroom.

Structuring Knowledge Through Authentic Activities

Abstract: This thesis examines links between social and cognitive contributions to thinking and acting. It delineates how historical, cultural, community and individual sources of knowledge influence the construction of knowledge. Specifically, the thesis investigates the cognitive consequences of participation in everyday vocational practice and relates cognitive activity to different social sources of knowledge. The study supports predictions about how the construction of representations of knowledge in memory and problem-solving strategies are influenced by the social circumstances of the acquisition of that knowledge and individuals' personal histories, which are themselves socially determined. The initial chapters of the thesis synthesise links between social and cognitive contributions to knowledge and advance an initial reconciliation between cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives on knowledge, which have distinct epistemologies and traditions of inquiry. Cognitive psychology focuses on the internal processes of mind, whereas the socio-cultural constructivist perspective emphasises the location of sources and the development of knowledge in social and cultural activity. The initial reconciliation is achieved by advancing areas of commonality and compatibility between the two literatures, to synthesise an account of how knowledge is sourced, constructed and developed in vocational practice. From these theoretical views it is predicted that individuals' constructions of knowledge embedded in communities of practice will have commonalities, whereas procedures and concepts that are disembedded from practice are likely to be more idiosyncratically structured. Moreover, it is advanced that dispositions (values, interest and attitude) which underpin the construction and organisation of cognitive structures are also shaped by social practice and personal histories. Through microgenetic development, which comprises the ongoing routine and non-routine problem-solving in everyday vocational practice, it is argued that these embedded forms of knowledge are appropriated by individuals. This form of development contributes to the ongoing cognitive development of individuals throughout their life history or ontogeny. It is predicted that, as each community of practice privileges historically derived and socio-cultural knowledge in a particular way, these different social circumstances provide access to forms of knowledge which reflect their activity systems. The practical investigation used to examine these predictions comprised two studies of a vocational activity (hairdressing) in four communities of practice (hairdressing salons) with eleven subjects (expert and novice hairdressers). The first study comprised an investigation of the social circumstances of each salon. The second study comprised problem-solving and concept-mapping activities used to elicit data about subjects' construction and deployment of vocational knowledge. The predictions from theory were upheld. The first study found the activity systems of each setting were quite distinct, yielding complexes of social elements and factors which shaped practice. In the second study, the concept mapping exercises suggested that conceptual knowledge which is disembedded from practice remains highly idiosyncratic in its construction, whereas knowledge embedded in practice has elements of commonality across subjects. The problem-solving activities in this study found that knowledge accessed by the subjects had three discernible sources. Firstly, concepts and procedures that were common across all four settings were associated with the canonical socio-cultural practice of hairdressing. Secondly, within each community, there was a preference for particular concepts and procedures, such as goals and approaches to securing goals. This preference was more than choice of techniques, as it extended to how work was undertaken, which included approaches to and resolution of problems. Thirdly, the influence of individuals' histories (ontogenetic development) was evident in conceptualisations of goals and preferences for securing those goals. These links between different social contributions and their cognitive consequences are delineated. The contributions advanced by this thesis are sixfold: (i) synthesising an initial reconciliation of two constructivist perspectives; (ii) providing a situated basis for conceptualising knowledge domains and expertise; (iii) identifying the role of dispositions in cognitive development; (iv) delineating social sources of knowledge - history, culture, community and individuals; (v) recognising different community types and engagement in practice; and (vi) applying constructivist theory to portray and understand the development of skilful vocational knowledge. Moreover, these fmdings have implications for the development of vocational knowledge. In particular, as different types of knowledge are sourced in different circumstances, there are important implications for how knowledge can be accessed and appropriated, and arrangements made to organise that access and appraise learners' development of vocational knowledge.

Concept Maps as Research Tools in Mathematics.

Abstract: Reform efforts in mathematics aim to increase conceptual understanding, an aim that can be supported through concept maps. This study compared the conceptual knowledge of function held by college students in reform and traditional calculus sections at a large state university. Fourteen students from reform sections and 14 from traditional sections served as subjects. A primary task was the construction of a concept map of function. Four instructors of reform sessions and four from traditional sections also completed concept maps. Quantitative analyses of the concept maps showed that the core contents from both student gr.pups matched poorly with instructors' core concepts. Qualitative analysis of the student maps revealed differences between the student groups, with the reform group using terminology common in the reform text and using fewer algorithmic references than the traditional group. The traditional group's maps contained more algorithmic references to hand-graphing techniques. Maps of both groups were considerably less well-structured than experts' maps and lacked their higher level categories. (Contains 9 figures, 10 tables, and 35 references.) (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original dociment. * **,..A.*********;,A*1%;-:.*1..**-U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Ohcs or Educational Fla5011fCn and improvement EDU ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as recived from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have boon made to improve reproduction Quality Points c' view Or apiniOnS stated in this dot ment dO nOt neceSsarilif represent official OERI position Of pohCv "PERMISSION 10 REPRODUCE 1HIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 0/9SO L 10 THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI CONCEPT MAPS AS RESEARCH TOOLS IN MATHEMATICS Carol G. Williams Pepperdine University A Paper Presented for Roundtable Discussion at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association April 18-22, 1995 San Francisco, CA

Some Ideas on the Teaching of Engineering Science: A Student Centered Approach

Abstract: In an effort to enhance learning in the engineering science classroom, several instructional techniques, including mind-or concept mapping, a variation of the one minute paper termed a “discovery sheet,” and the inclusion of discussion of the nature of scientific paradigm shifts, which have been used successfully are described. A cast study is also included.

Uso de estrategias facilitadoras del aprendizaje significativo en los cursos de Física introductoria

Abstract: While students do learn some reading and study skills in high school, these skills are applicable only to nontechnical material, it seems that only a few students learn about the role of concepts and their relationships. As a result, it is common for students to memorize definitions or procedural rules without relating the meanings of the words in the definition or rules to ideas they already understand. In fact, students often come to believe that rote memorization of course information is the only way to learn.Moreover, they have many difficulties in developing problem solving skills. As instructors, we may want to reduce rote learning, but often find ourselves helpless to achieve more meaningful learning in the classroom. Two major reasons for this dilemma are: (1) Students are not aware that there is an alternative to rote learning. (2) Concepts that are to be learned are presented in such a way as to encourage rote memorization.The intention of using meaningful learning tools (concept maps ans Vee diagrams) is to provide the student with an alternative to rote memorization by showing students that it is more efficient to learn in a meaningful way. Further, when used by educators, these tools can also provide them information about how instruction can be organized to facilitate meaningful learning and discourage rote memorization. It is the intention of this paper, to present two powerful meaningful learning tools: Concept maps and Vee diagrams. These tools had been introduced by Novak and Gowin more than a decade ago and have become important tools for both students and teachers.It can be said that concept mapping is a way to help students and educators to see the meaning of learning materials, and knowledge Vee diagramming is a way to help students and educators to penetrate the structure and meaning of the knowledge they seek to understand.the Vee diagram also helps teachers and students see more clearly the constructed nature of knowledge.

The effect of concept mapping strategies on the achievement and attitude change in science learning.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of concept mapping strategies on the learner's achievement and their attitude change in science learning. The subject was 159 male students in a middle school in Seoul. Three experimental groups were instructed with different kinds of teaching methods about the unit of photosynthesis and digestive organs. Group I was instructed with traditional teaching method, GroupII was instructed with guided concept mapping strategy, GroupIII was instructed with student-centered concept mapping strategy. The major findings of this study are as follows. 1. Student-centered concept mapping strategy was observed effective at 0.05 significance level in achievement and retention. 2. Only student-centered concept mapping strategy changed students' attitude toward science learning positively. 3. It was observed that there was very significant correlation between the learning ability and science achievement (p