Expressing learners’ competences through the use of pedagogically-informed knowledge mapping: case study in constructing a holographic projector

Abstract

PurposeOur study aims to focus on the application of knowledge mapping to provide pedagogically-structured learners' competences.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted an experiment examined the associations between the pedagogical quality of students’ pedagogically-informed knowledge (PIK) maps, class assignment scores and perceptions of PIK mapping’s uses.FindingsThe results showed that higher assignment scores were significantly predicted by higher quality PIK maps, ratings for PIK mapping were significantly higher than other mappings, and the learners’ experience of PIK mapping led to a significant change of attitude towards mapping as a learning activity and to a positive opinion of the value of PIK mapping in particular. Interestingly, there was no significant relation between learners’ opinion ratings of the uses of PIK mapping in learning and their assignment scores.Originality/valueQuestions remain on the generalizability of the findings, and on the features of a PIK map which are particularly useful to a learner. This study investigated the value of PIK mapping in the context of a practical class on the building of simple DIY (do-it-yourself) holographic projectors; it may be thought that the applied nature of the topic was more suited to the PIK mapping of learner competences and intended learning outcomes than a more theoretic classroom topic on holography. A future study is planned to address this issue.