Showing papers on "Concept map published in 1999"

Concept Map Assessment of Classroom Learning: Reliability, Validity, and Logistical Practicality

Abstract: The psychometric characteristics and practicality of concept mapping as a technique for classroom assessment were evaluated. Subjects received 90 min of training in concept mapping techniques and were given a list of terms and asked to produce a concept map. The list of terms was from a course in which they were enrolled. The maps were scored by pairs of graduate students, each pair using one of six different scoring methods. The score reliability of the six scoring methods ranged from r 5 .23 to r 5 .76. The highest score reliability was found for the method based on the evaluation of separate proposi- tions represented. Correlations of map scores with a measure of the concept maps' similarity to a master map provided evidence supporting the validity of five of the six scoring methods. The times required to provide training in concept mapping, produce concepts, and score concept maps were compatible with the adoption of concept mapping as classroom assessment technique. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 475 -492, 1999

Concept Maps: A Strategy to Teach and Evaluate Critical Thinking

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to describe a study that implemented concept maps as a methodology to teach and evaluate critical thinking. Students in six senior clinical groups were taught to use concept maps. Students created three concept maps over the course of the semester. Data analysis demonstrated a group mean score of 40.38 on the first concept map and 135.55 on the final concept map, for a difference of 98.16. The paired t value comparing the first concept map to the final concept map was -5.69. The data indicated a statistically significant difference between the first and final maps. This difference is indicative of the students' increase in conceptual and critical thinking.

Learning to Relate Qualitative and Quantitative Problem Representations in a Model-Based Setting for Collaborative Problem Solving

Abstract: In an experimental study, we investigated how 10th graders acquire, extend, and successively relate knowledge about qualitative and quantitative aspects of classical mechanics The study was made up of 2 main phases In the 1st phase, students were taught either qualitative or quantitative aspects of classical mechanics by means of 2 different instructional units In both units, concept maps were used for the presentation of information In the 2nd phase, dyads were formed with students who worked on different instructional units and thus possessed systematically different knowledge The 2 students collaboratively worked on problems that were beyond the competence of each of them and demanded the coordinated useof knowledge about qualitative and quantitative aspects Before and after the instruction as well as after the collaborative problem solving, students had to work on multicomponent tests In addition, during the collaborative problem solving, protocols were taken of the students' mutual exchange of

Spontaneous concept maps aiding the understanding of scientific concepts

Abstract: This study evaluated concept maps spontaneously constructed by applicants (N = 502) in a medical school entrance examination. In all, 36 maps were produced. Concept maps were evaluated for content of relevant terms and for the number of interrelationships indicated. The aim was to determine whether including relevant ideas on a concept map is related to the learning of those ideas. Because concept maps are effective tools for making the structure of knowledge explicit, it was hypothesized that the quality and content of spontaneously made maps would be related to improvement in the comprehension of text material. Understanding was assessed in terms of success in essay-type tasks designed to measure the ability to define, explain, and apply statistical knowledge. The results indicated that merely including the relevant concepts in a map has little effect on the comprehension of those concepts, whereas the extent and complexity of concept maps plays a powerful role in the understanding of scientific texts.

Using concept maps to measure statistical understanding

Abstract: Concept maps have been used extensively in science education both to promote and to measure meaningful learning. This study examines the use of concept maps to measure tertiary science students' understanding of fundamental concepts in statistical inference. Different methods of scoring maps are examined, and a revised scheme developed. Student scores on concept maps of two aspects of statistics, namely problem definition and statistical inference, are compared before and after a practical statistical investigation conducted by the students. The concept map scores are also compared with marks awarded for the practical assignment. While there was no significant improvement in concept map scores over time, some significant correlations were found between aspects of the concept map scores and scores on the practical assignment. Valuable qualitative information can be gained from an investigation of student concept maps, which enables clarification of student misconceptions, and which cannot be obtained from ...

Using Concept Maps and Interpretive Essays for Assessment in Mathematics

Abstract: This study explored the use of student-constructed concept maps in conjunction with written interpretive essays as an additional method of assessment in three undergraduate mathematics courses. The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the benefits of using concept maps and written essays to assess the “connectedness” of students' knowledge; to measure the correlation between students' scores on the concept maps and written essays, course exams, and final grade; and to document students' perception of the effect of this approach on their mathematical knowledge. Results indicated that concept maps, when combined with written essays, are viable tools for assessing students' organization of mathematical knowledge. In addition, students perceive this approach as enhancing their mathematical knowledge.

Combining CBR with Interactive Knowledge Acquisition, Manipulation and Reuse

Abstract: Because of the complexity of aerospace design, intelligent systems to support and amplify the abilities of aerospace designers have the potential for profound impact on the speed and reliability of design generation This article describes a framework for supporting the interactive capture of design cases and their application to new problems, illustrating the approach with a discussion of its use in a support system for aircraft design The project integrates case-based reasoning with interactive tools for capturing expert design knowledge through "concept mapping" Concept mapping tools provide crucial functions for interactively generating and examining design cases and navigating their hierarchical structure, while CBR techniques provide capabilities to facilitate retrieval and to aid interactive adaptation of designs The project aims simultaneously to develop a useful design aid and more generally to develop practical interactive approaches to fundamental issues of case acquisition and representation, context-sensitive retrieval, and case adaptation

Children's concepts: Tools for transforming science teachers' knowledge

Abstract: This study examined the roles that students' science concepts play in promoting teachers' professional growth. Two cohorts of teachers (N = 26 and 30) participated in the study as part of a constructivist-based graduate course on elementary and middle school science methods. A modified learning cycle was used during course instruction as a framework for teachers to explore sound, light, and electricity. Data on teachers' pedagogical and conceptual growth was obtained from pre- and postconcept maps, journal reflections, and portfolios. Results of the concept map analysis showed that teachers' maps became more integrated and cohesive as seen in the increase of crosslinks, hierarchies, and relationships drawn for each science topic. The journals and portfolios showed that students' science knowledge served as discrepant events that evoked teachers' dissatisfaction with their own content knowledge and motivated them to reconsider their pedagogical practices. Students' concepts also served as change agents, resulting in changes in teachers' views of their roles and instructional behaviors. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:545–557, 1999.

Concept Mapping as a Tool for Learning: Broadening the Framework for Student-Centered Instruction

Abstract: An approach to teaching that is centered on students represents a major departure from the traditional lecture-based, passive college learning environment. Felder and Brent (1996) have presented useful guidelines for implementing a student-centered approach. They advocate getting students actively involved in learning, using a vari ety of tasks (e.g., team-based learning, problem solving, application simulations), and reflecting upon, organizing, and ap plying what they have learned. Specifical ly, Felder and Brent (1996) offer their guidelines as a framework to enhance a variety of qualitative outcomes including motivation to learn, depth of understand ing, and retention of knowledge. Although the ideas of Felder and Brent (1996) have the potential to enhance the quality of college teaching, their guide lines do not address the conceptual knowledge that is to be taught. Based upon recent developments in the litera ture, our concern is that teachers empha size the conceptual knowledge to be learned in order to produce the student outcomes targeted by the student-cen tered instructional framework.

The concept mapping method. An alternative to focus group inquiry in general practice

Abstract: Background The concept mapping rationale and process are explained step by step. The concept mapping method produces a two dimensional conceptual map of ideas produced by the group which can be analysed at the level of individual statements, clusters of statements, and groups of similar clusters. An example of concept mapping conducted with four general practitioner (GP) groups from different practice types and demographic locations is provided. A total of 51 participating GPs were asked to complete an 'evaluation questionnaire' at the end of each group session. The majority of GP participants (68%) rated the method as highly useful. Objective To describe the concept mapping method and its interpretation for use in general practice research. To report on its perceived usefulness and acceptability by general practitioners. Discussion Concept mapping is a very useful method combining benefits from qualitative and quantitative approaches for exploring the breadth of a topic in its entirety, especially for abstract concepts. GPs found the concept mapping method to be efficient for group inquiry, rating it high on utility. There is scope to refine the method, reducing time spent in some stages of the session, and substituting more time on final analysis.

Student-Teachers' Grasp of Science Concepts.

Abstract: Subject knowledge is a key issue in teacher training. In science it is a particular problem since most graduates specialise in a relatively narrow area of science. The research described here assessed subject knowledge of science student-teachers at the beginning and end of their one (year Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)) course. Understanding of a selection of biological concepts was tested through the use of concept maps. Little improvement was found in subject knowledge following training in or teaching of the concepts during the PGCE year. Suggestions for ways forward, including subject knowledge audits and independent study towards better understanding, are discussed.

Evidence-Based Learning.

Abstract: In spite of the empirically evident merits of innovative teaching/learning formats such as PBL, resistance is observed to implementing promising curricular innovations, or to changing the traditional medical curricula. Moreover, reforms have failed because of resistance to change. To solve these problems it is accepted worldwide that faculty have to find and apply innovative approaches and to manage change in medical education. The aim of this study is to conceptualize change in pedagogy. The hypotheses developed in this article are visualized by concept mapping. A path analysis (correlation study) is demonstrated investigating the relationship between instructional design and motivation to learn. This article is designed as a case study. Well-defined teaching/learning goals, learning by doing, feedback and social integration of the students are features of instructional design. They correlate positively (0.14-0.32) with students' experience of self-efficacy, which leads to intrinsic motivation to learn (...

Conceptual Navigation and Multiple Scale Narration in a Knowledge Manifold

Abstract: This paper discusses conceptual organization and exploration in the context of a Knowledge Manifold, which is a framework for individualized learning that was introduced in [(10)]. It also presents an overview of the Garden of Knowledge as an example of a KM and describes the basic design goals of the GoK project. Moreover, the paper introduces the idea of a concept browser and presents a set of design principles for such browsers based on a strict separation of context and content, contextual descriptions in terms of concept maps expressed in UML, and viewing of the content components through various aspect filters. Finally, this paper introduces the concept of multiple scale narration, and illustrates this idea by an example that shows the browsing of an archive of components at multiple scales of resolution based on the dimensions of clarification and depth.

Concept Mapping: Promoting Science Learning in BN Learners in Australia.

Abstract: BACKGROUND We reviewed the process of using concept mapping as a methodology to teach science to RNs in a bachelor degree of nursing program in Australia. METHOD The technique was used for two classes of students in the science unit during 1995 with work packages and independent student learning being the focus of the unit. RESULTS Both instructors and students found the experience mainly positive. It helped the students become more independent learners, have a greater confidence in their knowledge of science, and allowed their understanding of science in their practice to become more meaningful and personalized. For the instructors it allowed them to concentrate on students with learning difficulties because they had less face-to-face teaching hours. Major issues arising from the process related to how to balance science content and the techniques of concept mapping and how to more effectively assess the learning outcomes of the students. CONCLUSION Concept mapping is a useful technique to link science and nursing practice. Not only can it be used in academic programs to teach the science underlying practice, it can be used in the clinical area to teach patients. As a technique it works well in staff development and continuing education where the focus is on elucidating the rationale for inuring practice and providing evidence for the value of this practice.

A view from the Science Education Research literature: Concept map assessment of classroom learning

Abstract: A concept map is a diagram consisting of nodes that represent concepts and labeled lines that indicate the relationship between those concepts. The combination of two nodes and a labeled line is ca...

Visual knowledge engineering as a cognitive tool

Abstract: Paper presents research framework based on methodology of knowledge acquisition via visual structured analysis of the domain. The methodology includes formal procedure and special techniques of knowledge stratification and detalisation. Described approach is implemented in computer programs, that may be used as special cognitive tools, helping domain experts to investigate the domain knowledge through visual design of concept maps of knowledge bases. The paper also discusses how ontologies can be specified at the knowledge level using the set of graphical intermediate representations. Special software tool implementing visual knowledge engineering techniques and principles is described in the paper. In this paper, we also present the CAKE as a software tool to specify ontologies and concept maps at knowledge level. Its multilingual generator module automatically translates the visual specification into targeted knowledge representation languages. CAKE may be also effectively used for visual hypertext design and development of hypermedia applications on WWW.

[Analysis of dental students' knowledge and concepts in oral health: evaluation by concept maps]. Análise do conhecimento e das concepções sobre saúde oral de alunos de odontologia: avaliação por meio de mapas conceituais.

Abstract: This study sought to analyze senior dental students' cognitive structure concerning the topic of "enamel", which is fundamentally important for understanding oral health, since it offers basic scientific concepts for clinical and preventive practices and is the main subject of several courses during dentistry training. The strategy used to analyze students' cognitive structures was Novak's Concept Maps, based on Ausubel's Meaningful Learning theory. Analysis of students' maps allowed for a study of students' cognitive structure and concepts concerning oral health. It also fostered a diagnosis of students' knowledge in several important aspects of scientific and professional training. The results highlighted the need for rethinking the teaching/learning process in dentistry training.

Enhancing and Assessing Preservice Teachers' Integration and Expression of Mathematical Knowledge

Abstract: The construction of concept maps and the writing of interpretive essays in mathematics courses for preservice and continuing teachers provide students with rich learning experiences and yield substantial insights into the degree of connectedness of their knowledge with respect to a given topic. With this dual approach students are given the opportunity to express their knowledge in different ways, which allows for individual differences in learning styles and verifies the relationships illustrated. As students actively participate in the task of developing connections between related concepts, reflect on their thinking, and become engaged in mathematical discourse, students are provided with an opportunity to mature mathematically and to experience an alternative approach to instruction and assessment.

A Teacher's Perspective on Technology in the Classroom: Computer Visualization, Concept Maps and Learning Logs.

Abstract: THE USE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE IN THE CLASSROOM HAS CHANGED THE WAY that a teacher can approach chemistry education at the high school level. Through the use of concept maps, electronic learning logs...

Informing Practice through Collaborative Partnerships

Abstract: This paper focuses on students and their teacher engaging in authentic tasks and materials couched in problem-oriented formats within meaningful learning contexts that foster thinking and learning. Authentic in that students construct meaning from real data and are asked to make sense of the world around them. Students pursue individual paths of inquiry using critical and imaginative thinking, and engage in social and solitary contexts that involve them in writing, intervening, and reflecting on ideas gleaned from conversations and readings (electronic and conventional) with a university educator and NASA science educator. The process engages students in formal skills such as written communication, literacy, logic, and calculation using an innovative electronic interactive network. Evaluations of timed writings, concept maps, and Vee diagrams are presented and discussed. Informing Practice through Collaborative Partnerships This paper details how self-directed case-based research and instruction together with collaborative interactions with teachers, students, scientists, and university educators using metacognitive tools (e.g., concept maps, interactive Vee diagrams, and thematic organizers), and innovative technology promotes meaningful learning in ways that differ from conventional and atypical educational settings. Teachers and researchers mutually define research problems. Students engage in “real-life” self-directed case research. Together, this collaboration informs practice for students, teachers, and researchers. Within this negotiated learning environment educational processes and outcomes are achieved that meet both local and national contexts for achieving meaningful learnercentered science, mathematics, and literacy goals (e.g., American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989; International Reading Association, 1992; National Science and Technology Council, 1995; Science Council of Canada, 1984; Royal Society, 1985; NASA's Education Program, 1999-2003). Theoretical Framework Gowin's (1981) theory of educating, Ausubel's (1963, 1968) cognitive theory of meaningful reception learning, an emphasis on teachers and students becoming "communities of thinkers" (Alvarez, 1996, 1997a,b,c), and an action research constructivist epistemology provide the philosophical and theoretical background upon which this investigation was designed and through which the results were interpreted. Gowin's theory of educating focuses on the educative event and its related concepts and facts. This theory is helpful in classifying the relevant aspects of the educative event. In an educative event, teachers and learners share meanings and feelings so as to bring about a change in the human experience. This theory stresses the centrality of the learner's experience in educating. In order for meaningful learningto occur in Ausubel's theory three conditions need to be considered: (1) materials need to be concept rich, with clear relationships; (2) the learner needs to have relevant prior knowledge and experience with the concepts and propositions that are presented in the new materials; and, (3) learners need to have a meaningful learning set a disposition to link new concepts, propositions, and examples to prior knowledge and experience (see Novak, 1998). A community of thinkers is defined as an active group of students and teachers striving to learn more about a discipline by engaging in the processes of critical thinking (thinking about thinking in ways to bring about change in one’s experience) and imaginative thinking (exploring future possibilities with existing ideas, Alvarez, 1996, 1997b). The notion presented by this theoretical framework enables both students and practitioners to become better informed and knowledgeable about practices that enhance conceptual learning and meaningful understanding. To better understand how teachers, researchers, and students activate and build upon existing knowledge it is necessary to study the ways schema is activated and new knowledge is constructed. Schema (plural schemata) is a mental construction of an event, object, or an individual characteristic that can be fragmentary, inaccurate, or inconsistent. It is based upon a belief that can be applied to either physical systems or semantic meanings depicted in a text. When reading a text, the text can be seen as a series of acquisition statements within a given topic or subtopic. The notion of schema theory is that a person can comprehend a text when it is congruent with his or her belief system. Educators and researchers have suggested numerous instructional strategies to help students activate and use prior knowledge to aid comprehension. Yet, schema theory does not explain how readers modify and create new schema when presented with novel information in texts. Because texts are never completely explicit, the reader must rely on preexisting schemata to provide plausible interpretations. Yet, there is much evidence that good and poor readers do not always use schemata appropriately or are unaware of whether the information they are reading is consistent with their existing knowledge (e.g., Bartlett, 1932; Bransford, 1985). Also, there is evidence that students who do not spontaneously use schemata as they read will engage them if given explicit instructions prior to reading (e.g., Ausubel, 1960; Bransford, 1985). Action research is a paradigm that is grounded in the reality of classroom culture and under the control of teachers. Findings' emanating from this type of research investigation informs teachers and guides their practice when formulating lessons and conducting future classroom research projects. Action research is defined as the acting on an event, object, problem, or an idea, by an individual or group directly involved in gathering and studying the information for themselves, and using the results for the purpose of addressing specific problems within a classroom, school, program, organization, or community (Alvarez, 1995). Action research is deliberate and results in ownership by the participants. The consequences affect participants personally. The action is the acting on an event, object, problem, or an idea for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating its course and outcomes. Research is a systematic deliberate critical inquiry of an event in order to enlighten one’s thinking, learning, and practice. This setting in motion of a strategy for the systematic study of an event that evolves from an idea or problem is the basis on which these investigations are predicated. In this project, the events that are studied take place in an educational setting and the study is conducted by student and teacher researchers in collaboration with university educators and scientists in the areas of earth and space science. This action research strategy is accomplished through a recursive cycle of (1) identifying an idea problem area, (2) studying it by gathering data, and (3) reflecting on the data in order to make teaching and learning decisions grounded in evidence (see Appendix A Action Research Strategy, Alvarez, 1995). The focus of this action research inquiry centers on the research question: RQ1 “How do metacogntive tools and electronic communications influence practice when studying cases using authentic data in collaborative formats?” Within this realm of inquiry are included the effects of thematic organizers and timed writings and their influence on schema activation and knowledge construction.

Use of Concept Mapping to Define Learning Objectives in a Master of Public Health Program

Abstract: Background: In a newly developed master of public health (MPH) training program, emphasis was put on educational experimentation to enhance meaningful learning. The approach includes the systematic use of concept mapping in the training process. Description: This article describes the technique of concept mapping as an educational tool in the particular setting of a project-based MPH program. Data for the assessment were collected from 30 students enrolled at the University of Geneva between 1990 and 1995. The technique was systematically used by the students to identify learning goals while planning, implementing, and evaluating research or intervention programs. Evaluation: Analysis of the concept maps showed that the technique allowed students to identify learning objectives in the various fields of public health and related to the different professional functions of public health personnel. Perception assessment found that concept mapping was considered a meaningful and effective tool by most students...

Interaction processes in network supported collaborative concept mapping

Abstract: This study investigated group interaction processes in network supported collaborative concept mapping, and the influence of these group interaction processes upon the group concept mapping performance. A total of 36 in-service teachers and pre-service student teachers engaged in this study. It was found that group concept mapping performance was significantly correlated to the quantity of group interaction, particularly high-level interaction processes. Suggestions for a further improvement in the system design to support collaborative concept mapping are also provided in this paper.

An analysis of knowledge representation of students in electronic problem tasks

Abstract: This paper investigates the nature of learning outcomes of thirty six electronics students who were receiving training under the recent reform processes advocated by the Australian government. The reform processes place great emphasis on macro issues thereby unintentionally relegating the micro issues, such as learning in the classroom, to a lower priority. Such misdirected emphasis may hinder the development of an intelligent workforce. A multi method approach which involved a problem task, interviews and concept maps was used to establish the learning outcomes. The learning outcomes were analysed to identify the nature of students’ knowledge structures and the sophistication in their understanding of the topic “Frequency Division Multiplexing”. Students’ knowledge structures and levels of understanding were compared with those generated by 3 experts. The findings indicated a low level of understanding and a very lean knowledge structure with limited relational links to other elements in the given information. Furthermore, a comparison of students’ knowledge structures and levels of understanding was made between students with more than 2 years work experience and those coming to their course straight from secondary schools. The findings of this analysis did not support the argument that work experience enriches students’ knowledge and understanding, as students with no work experience performed better then the work experience students. Thus, there needs to be more empirical research on the nature of real work experience routines and how it affects learning rather than theorising on ideal work situations.

Integrating knowledge across the engineering curriculum

Abstract: Graduating engineers are expected to have obtained an understanding of their discipline by the time they graduate. Although the body of knowledge representing the discipline is actually an integrated whole, the students have learned these concepts, by necessity, in separate courses. The hope is that students will integrate the concepts learned in these separate courses into an integrated understanding of the discipline. If this integration does not happen, the result can be an impoverished understanding of the concepts and an inability to use concepts on demand. At the Center for Engineering Learning and Teaching, we are developing an innovative program to respond to these issues. The goal of the program is to help students (1) identify concepts of the discipline they are learning, (2) link these concepts into an integrated understanding of the discipline, (3) determine which concepts represent the core of the discipline, and (4) communicate this understanding to themselves and others. In a pilot version of the program to be completed in the fall of 1999, we will work with Civil and Environmental Engineering students as they develop concept maps and web pages to accomplish these goals. In this paper, we describe the theoretical and practical motivations for the program, identify the principles guiding the design of the program, and sketch out a possible implementation.

Knowledge representation and relation nets

Abstract: From the Publisher: Knowledge Representation and Relation Nets introduces a fresh approach to knowledge representation that can be used to organize study material in a convenient, teachable and learnable form. The method extends and formalizes concept mapping by developing knowledge representation as a structure of concepts and the relationships among them. Such a formal description of analogy results in a controlled method of modeling "new" knowledge in terms of "existing" knowledge in teaching and learning situations, and its applications result in a consistent and well-organized approach to problem solving. Additionally, strategies for the presentation of study material to learners arise naturally in this representation. Knowledge Representation and Relation Nets is an excellent resource for teachers, courseware designers and researchers in knowledge representation, cognitive science, theories of learning, the psychology of education, and structural modeling.

European project REPRESENTATION : Representations, models and modelling; implications in educational strategies and learning process: bibliographical synthesis

Abstract: This report gives an overview of the fundamental issues being addressed in the frame of the project REPRESENTATION, whose focus is on ICT related representations for the age cohort of 10-12 years old. These issues include the rationale and means and methods for the study of representations that the learner constructs in his/her attempt to understand knowledge in a given field. The context in which field research is to be conducted is also being addressed. Presented in the first part is a theoretical framework based on the review of literature. Discussed in it are issues concerning both cognitive and social representations. Attention is also given to software tools as cognitive instruments and to the issue of concept mapping followed by a threefold approach: concept mapping as a tool, concept mapping as a communication tool and lastly as an assessment devise. Discussed in the second part are issues of Computer Based Concept Mapping Software Tools. Considered here is first the technique and then the tool. It leads to the idea that what seems more efficient is to have children build their own concept maps with software that could be sufficiently fluid and simple. This part also includes a discussion on the assessment of commercially available concept mapping tools and network collaborative learning environments. Presented in the third part is the contextual frame in which field research is to take place in the subsequent phases of the project.