Concept Mapping Process Research Articles

The implications of handwritten text recognition for accessing the past at scale

PurposeThis paper focuses on image-to-text manuscript processing through Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR), a Machine Learning (ML) approach enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI). With HTR now achieving high levels of accuracy, we consider its potential impact on our near-future information environment and knowledge of the past.Design/methodology/approachIn undertaking a more constructivist analysis, we identified gaps in the current literature through a Grounded Theory Method (GTM). This guided an iterative process of concept mapping through writing sprints in workshop settings. We identified, explored and confirmed themes through group discussion and a further interrogation of relevant literature, until reaching saturation.FindingsCatalogued as part of our GTM, 120 published texts underpin this paper. We found that HTR facilitates accurate transcription and dataset cleaning, while facilitating access to a variety of historical material. HTR contributes to a virtuous cycle of dataset production and can inform the development of online cataloguing. However, current limitations include dependency on digitisation pipelines, potential archival history omission and entrenchment of bias. We also cite near-future HTR considerations. These include encouraging open access, integrating advanced AI processes and metadata extraction; legal and moral issues surrounding copyright and data ethics; crediting individuals’ transcription contributions and HTR’s environmental costs.Originality/valueOur research produces a set of best practice recommendations for researchers, data providers and memory institutions, surrounding HTR use. This forms an initial, though not comprehensive, blueprint for directing future HTR research. In pursuing this, the narrative that HTR’s speed and efficiency will simply transform scholarship in archives is deconstructed.

Identifying structural risk factors for overdose following incarceration: a concept mapping study

BackgroundCurrently, there are more than two million people in prisons or jails, with nearly two-thirds meeting the criteria for a substance use disorder. Following these patterns, overdose is the leading cause of death following release from prison and the third leading cause of death during periods of incarceration in jails. Traditional quantitative methods analyzing the factors associated with overdose following incarceration may fail to capture structural and environmental factors present in specific communities. People with lived experiences in the criminal legal system and with substance use disorder hold unique perspectives and must be involved in the research process.ObjectiveTo identify perceived factors that impact overdose following release from incarceration among people with direct criminal legal involvement and experience with substance use.MethodsWithin a community-engaged approach to research, we used concept mapping to center the perspectives of people with personal experience with the carceral system. The following prompt guided our study: “What do you think are some of the main things that make people who have been in jail or prison more and less likely to overdose?” Individuals participated in three rounds of focus groups, which included brainstorming, sorting and rating, and community interpretation. We used the Concept Systems Inc. platform groupwisdom for our analyses and constructed cluster maps.ResultsEight individuals (ages 33 to 53) from four states participated. The brainstorming process resulted in 83 unique factors that impact overdose. The concept mapping process resulted in five clusters: (1) Community-Based Prevention, (2) Drug Use and Incarceration, (3) Resources for Treatment for Substance Use, (4) Carceral Factors, and (5) Stigma and Structural Barriers.ConclusionsOur study provides critical insight into community-identified factors associated with overdose following incarceration. These factors should be accounted for during resource planning and decision-making.

Evaluating the kit-build concept mapping process using sub-map scoring

Concept mapping allows learners to visually represent their knowledge by connecting nodes (concepts) and links (relations between concepts). The kit-build (KB) concept map framework enhances this process by enabling learners to recompose a concept map from provided nodes and links, leading to improved learning outcomes. Additionally, KB employs an automatic assessment method called “Full Map Scoring (FMS)”, which evaluates the learner’s understanding based on the recomposed concept map. However, FMS only evaluates the final product of the recomposition activity, neglecting the process itself. This is a potential limitation because different processes leading to the same result could reflect different levels of understanding among learners. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate process analysis into learner assessment. To address this issue, our research proposes a new assessment procedure termed “Sub-Map Scoring (SMS)”. A concept map is generally composed of several sub-maps with each sub-map representing a set of meanings. We hypothesize that if a learner comprehends the meaning of a sub-map, the learner will recompose the sub-map as a continuous activity. Therefore, SMS evaluates the recomposition process of each sub-map from the viewpoint of continuity, and the overall SMS score is derived from these evaluations. To verify the effectiveness of SMS, we compared SMS and FMS scores using data from a practical use of the KB framework. A multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that the SMS score was a more precise predictor of learning gain than the FMS score.

Group concept mapping – bridging the gap between conceptual papers and empirical research

AbstractWith growing internationalism, there is a shift in research patterns in developing countries, especially China and India, generating vital and contemporary research areas that are beginning to challenge the existing Western‐dominated research literature in social sciences. Yet, many of the new ideas within conceptual papers by the social sciences are not empirically validated, let alone operationalized. This is where the group concept mapping method can play a role in bridging the gap between phenomenal conceptualization and having an empirically valid model that can then be operationalized. The group concept mapping process involves five steps: create statements, sort statements, run multidimensional scaling (MDS) of sorted units, run cluster analysis, and label the clusters. This approach allows for the collective thoughts of a pre‐defined group to be collected and organized into a tangible output with academic rigor. This paper offers an overview of the group concept mapping methodology, discussing the processes of the method, how the method can be utilized fully within the business and broader social science context, and the strengths, weaknesses, and practical implications of group concept mapping.

Integrated person- and people-centred primary care for diabetes in low- and middle-income countries: The nurses' perspective on patient needs.

The aim of this study was to identify what nurses working in primary care settings perceive as necessary to support the life needs of people with type 2 diabetes. Articulate these needs with the needs expressed by people with diabetes in a previous study. Finally, illustrate the potential of the used method. A highly structured qualitative group method for brainstorming and idea sharing was used to generate a participant-owned concept map that can support and evaluate practice change. Data were collected between April and May 2022 in two public primary healthcare centres in Sacaba, Bolivia, with 33 professional nurses, technical nurses, nurse trainees and one physician. The concept mapping process by Trochim was used to generate, share and structure ideas, maximizing equality of input. The nurses identified 73 unique needs that were structured in 11 conceptual clusters related to four different stakeholders or domains: organization of care and health policy, strengthening knowledge, skills and attitudes of healthcare providers, empower people living with diabetes and their family, and community-level health promotion and diabetes education. The needs and domains identified by nurses and people with type 2 diabetes are very similar and inform a multisectoral and transdisciplinary action plan to jointly monitor and evaluate progress towards people-centred care for people with diabetes. This study demonstrates nurses' important contribution to analysing and designing people-centred care in their community. They identify and act upon social determinants of health related to schools, safety and legislation. Besides global relevance, results inform the municipal health plan and an ongoing research project on cardiometabolic health. Data from prior patient consultations were included in the study design, and study results inform the municipal health plan.

Parents' Perceptions of the Factors Influencing the Uptake of Remote Pediatric Hearing Aid Support: Development of a Conceptual Framework.

To achieve effective integration of virtual care into family-centered audiology practices, participatory research methods, including parents as vital participants in the delivery of pediatric audiology care, should be considered. A better understanding of the barriers and facilitators influencing the adoption of virtual care for families is warranted. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework of the factors perceived to influence the adoption of remote pediatric hearing aid support among the parents of children with hearing loss. A total of 12 parents of children who wear hearing aids, between the ages of 0-17 years, were recruited to participate in group or individual interviews as part of the 6-step participatory-based concept mapping (CM) process. Data collection was specific to parents in a Canadian context. Analyses included multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. The CM process resulted in 6 main themes, displayed in a cluster map according to their order of importance. These themes include access to timely, consistent care; technology considerations; convenience; child engagement; cost; and partnership considerations. Key underlying statements and subthemes are highlighted per theme. Findings from this study demonstrate the use of CM in participatory research with parents and as part of a family-centered care model. Future research should aim to investigate the factors that influence the uptake of remote hearing aid support in different contexts, for example, in low- to middle-income countries versus those in high-income countries.

Impartiality: A critical review

This article (re)opens debate about the concept of ‘impartiality’ in career guidance. It argues that while the concept of impartiality is at the centre of professional ethics for career guidance in the UK, it is poorly defined and weakly theorised. Through a process of concept mapping and an exploration of the challenges associated with impartiality, the article clarifies the definition of impartiality and problematises its centrality in the UK’s ethical frameworks. The article argues that there are three main ideas which constitute the contemporary notion of impartiality: institutional independence, outcome neutrality and political neutrality. It argues that the grouping of these three ideas under a single term is unhelpful as they all raise different issues and objections. The article then outlines five challenges: ambiguity; application in practice; alignment with career theory, tensions with other ethical values; and practicing within partial funding regimes. Finally, some ways forward are suggested.

Building Leadership Through Partnerships: Using Concept Mapping to Develop Community Capacity to Address Gender-Based Violence.

Building Leadership Through Partnerships:Using Concept Mapping to Develop Community Capacity to Address Gender-Based Violence Alisa J. Velonis, MPH, PhD, Erin Howes, MPH, Karla Altmayer, JD, Sheerine Alemzadeh, JD, Linda Forst, MD, MPH, and Jeni Hebert-Beirne, MPH, PhD What is The Purpose of This Study/Review? • Our study describes an academic–community partnership formed to help the leaders of a community-based organization (CBO) identify the critical elements for a leadership training program to address gender-based violence (GBV) in communities with high levels of precarious employment and little access to institutional supports. • The research partnership consisted of the leaders of the CBO, several academic researchers, and a team of "community animators," or community researcher trained in conducting research activities. • Concept mapping methods were used to generate and prioritize a list of resources and skills individuals from the targeted communities felt they would need to address GBV that happened at work and home. • While the findings directly influenced the content of the leadership program, the community partners found the process to be of equal benefit. What Is the Problem? • Despite the increased publicity surrounding workplace sexual harassment, women in temporary, low-wage jobs with few or no benefits are particularly vulnerable to experiencing GBV and its ramifications, both at home and at work. While some workplaces have initiated GBV response programs, the nature of precarious employment (e.g., few/no benefits, low wage, dangerous working conditions) and accompanying informal workplaces (e.g., private homes, warehouses, small businesses) preclude workers from having access to these programs, and likely discourage employees from seeing workplaces as a source of support. Thus, community-based and community-driven responses will be needed to provide support for women experiencing GBV in these populations. What Are the Findings? • The findings from the concept mapping activities suggested that participants believe that informal leaders from their communities who want to address issues of GBV would benefit from having skills and resources related to addressing workplace violence. ○ They suggested that a program that covered topics such as employee and survivor support and resources would be likely to draw participants to such a program. ○ Participants' focus on workplace violence may have been related to our initial emphasis on precariously employed individuals, but it is also likely that this is a less-sensitive form of GBV providing an entry point from which to initiate discussions about other forms of GBV, including violence initiated by partners and family members. [End Page e9] • The CBO leaders who co-led this research felt that the process of engaging members of the community (including the community animators) in prior to the launch of the programs was equally useful to the development of the program as the findings were. ○ They were able to build relationships and make connections they may not have made otherwise and allowed them to have a very successful program launch, with roughly one-third of program participants having been part of the concept mapping process, either as animators or as participants. Who Should Care Most? • The findings from our study are important for groups interested in developing community-driven approaches for addressing GBV. While the specific findings of our study may not be generalizable beyond low-wage communities and predominantly Latinx individuals, we believe that that the process of engaging communities was critical to our success. Our work highlights the platform that community driven research can provide in response to GBV. Recommendations for Action • Academic–community partnerships can be useful for soliciting input and buy-in from especially marginalized communities prior to launching programs in the area. [End Page e10] Alisa J. Velonis University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Community Health Sciences Erin Howes University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Community Health Sciences Karla Altmayer Healing to Action Sheerine Alemzadeh Healing to Action Linda Forst University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Jeni Hebert-Beirne University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Division of Community Health Sciences Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press

Identifying opportunities to optimise the electronic medical record for allied health professionals: a concept mapping study.

Objective To utilise a concept mapping process to identify key opportunities for electronic medical record (EMR) optimisation for allied health professionals (AHPs). Methods A total of 26 participants (allied health managers, clinicians and healthcare consumers) completed the concept mapping process, which included generating statements, and then subsequently sorting all statements into groups, and also ranking each statement for importance and changeability (0 = not important/changeable, 4 extremely important/changeable). Multivariate analysis and multidimensional scaling were then used to identify core priorities for digital optimisation. Results Participants generated 98 discrete statements that were grouped into 13 conceptual clusters. Of these, 36 statements were subsequently determined to fall within the 'green zone' on the Go-Zone plot of importance and changeability (changeability ≥2.44, importance ≥2.79), and formed the set of key optimisation priorities. Clusters with the most items in the Go-Zone plot were 'training and business rules ' and 'service statistics .' Conclusion Concept mapping facilitated identification of 36 key optimisation priorities considered both changeable and important to assist EMR optimisation for AHPs. Addressing these priorities requires action related to end-user skills and training, EMR system capacity, and streamlining of governance and collaboration for the optimisation process.

Developing a civic capacity index: measuring community capacity to respond to civic challenges

PurposeSome communities in the USA are remarkably better at responding to civic challenges than others. These communities are more competent at marshaling their resources – material and human – in service of their own needs. The authors’ purpose in this paper is to enhance their collective understanding of ideas related to community-driven change and to describe the development of a civic capacity index (CCI), a measure of a community's capacity to respond to civic challenges and disruptions like COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a concept mapping process (akin to grounded theory) to develop the CCI. Using this process, a panel of 34 scholars and practitioners of civic leadership and civic engagement worked together to create measurable descriptors of civic capacity.FindingsThe CCI measures dynamic processes related to collective leadership, inclusion of diverse voices, how institutions and coalitions address shared challenges and collaboration among community members. Sample data from several states show the CCI's scales to have high internal reliabilities and to correlate strongly with validation scales such as collective efficacy, social justice and community connectedness. Confirmatory factor analyses support a bifactor model of a general CCI factor and six CCI scales.Practical implicationsWith the help of the CCI, civic actors can take advantage of existing civic capacity, understand where it is lacking and build resilience for the future.Originality/valueTo date, most scholars have used qualitative research to determine the elements of civic capacity. The authors wanted to know what civic capacity looks like in sufficient detail to assess the extent to which it is present or not in a community. Other efforts to quantify or assess civic capacity or related ideas are less comprehensive or lack the specificity to provide guidance for building and mobilizing it in communities. This work enhances our understanding of leadership in the civic arena, a little understood aspect of leadership studies.

A concept mapping study of service user design of safer supply as an alternative to the illicit drug market.

Within North America and worldwide, drug-related overdoses have increased dramatically over the past decade. COVID-19 escalated the need for a safer supply of illicit substances to reduce overdoses with hopes of replacing substances obtained from the illicit drug market. Drug users 1 should be at the centre of program and policy decisions related to the development and implementation of safer supply. Yet, there is little empirical research that conceptualizes effective safer supply from their perspectives. Within a community based participatory approach to research, we conducted a concept mapping study to foreground the perspectives of drug users and develop a conceptual model of effective safer supply. Our team was composed of researchers from a local drug user organization, a local harm reduction organization, and academic researchers. The focused prompt developed by the team was: "Safe supply would work well if…" Sixty-three drug users participated in three rounds of focus groups as part of the concept mapping process, involving brainstorming, sorting, rating and naming of themes. The concept mapping process resulted in six clusters of statements: 1) Right dose and right drugs for me; 2) Safe, positive and welcoming spaces; 4) I am treated with respect; 5) I can easily get my safer supply; and 6) Helps me function and improves my quality of life (as defined by me). The statements within each cluster describe key components central to an effective model of safer supply as defined by drug users. The results of this study provide insights into key components of effective safer supply to inform planning and evaluation of future safer supply programs informed by drug user perspectives.

British Gen Z perceptions of sustainable fisheries: developing a measurement instrument.

With continued pressure upon fisheries, alongside improved fisheries management in some places, there has been a decline in fish catches with changes in the structure of the ecosystem affecting its' functionality. The use of scientific based indicator frameworks in an attempt to pursue sustainable fisheries is a common trend, however the management decisions are often socially driven and can deviate, or even, conflict with the science. This study aimed to investigate British Gen Z perceptions upon what creates a sustainable fishing industry through a series of three studies. A compilation of 82 statements, derived from practitioner indicator systems, was used by 23 participants in a concept mapping process consisting of five steps; create statements, sort & rate statements, multi-dimensional scaling of sorted units, cluster analysis, and label the clusters. The next stage of the study looked to refine the large number of statements by statistically verifying them with exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory composite analysis using split halves of a sample containing 657 participants and generating a three-factor solution of Community, Ecological Management and, Economic. The domain was then switched to the descriptive typology and a further 179 British Gen Z evaluated the fisheries at Hastings and Brixham based upon case studies which further validated the three-factor solution. The significance of this study demonstrates that consumers, who influence policy and management of fisheries through their purchasing behaviour, interpret sustainable fisheries differently to science which is evidenced by the merging of the elements of ecologically and management.

Community stakeholder-driven technology solutions towards rural health equity: A concept mapping study in Western Canada.

Technology holds great potential for promoting health equity for rural populations, who have more chronic illnesses than their urban counterparts but less access to services. Yet, more participatory research approaches are needed to gather community-driven health technology solutions. The purpose was to collaboratively identify and prioritize action strategies for using technology to promote rural health equity through community stakeholder engagement. Concept mapping, a quantitative statistical technique, embedded within a qualitative approach, was used to identify and integrate technological solutions towards rural health equity from community stakeholders in three steps: (1) idea generation; (2) sorting and rating feasibility/importanceand (3) group interpretation. Purposeful recruitment strategies were used to recruit key stakeholders and organizational representatives from targeted rural communities. Overall, 34 rural community stakeholders from western Canada (76% female, mean age = 55.4 years) participated in the concept mapping process. In Step 1, 84 ideas were generated that were reduced to a pool of 30. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis resulted in a six-cluster map representing how technological solutions can contribute toward rural health equity. The clusters of ideas included technological solutions and applications, but also ideas to make health care more accessible regardless of location, training and support in the use of technology, ensuring digital tools are simplified for ease of use, technologies to support collaboration among healthcare professionalsand ideas for overcoming challenges to data sharing across health systems/networks. Each cluster included ideas that were rated as equally important and feasible. Key themes included organizational and individual-level solutions and connecting patients to newly developed technologies. Overall, the grouping of solutions revealed that technological applications require not only access but also support and collaboration. Concept mapping is a tool that can engage rural community stakeholders in the identification of technological solutions for promoting rural health equity. Rural community stakeholders were involved in the generation and interpretation of technological solutions towards rural health equity in a three-step process: (1) individual brainstorming of ideas, (2) sorting and rating all ideas generatedand (3) collective interpretation and group consensus on final results.

Integrated care for older people based on information and communication technology: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionIntegrated care is an effective means of coping with the increasingly complex healthcare needs of elderly and alleviating pressure on national pension services. WHO regards integrated care as a method...

Student Engagement in Concept Mapping

Student engagement has been an important discourse in higher education, and researchers have determined that engagement in educational activities is vital for student retention. Retaining students in learning is crucial in a stressful healthcare environment, hence the need to identify the associated engagement factors. Concept mapping offers students a realistic venue for critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and engagement in educational activities. Building on the results obtained from a basic qualitative study where, interviews and journals were analyzed, we examined the theoretical basis for students’ engagement during concept mapping in a flipped clinical learning. Accordingly, this article discusses the factors that influenced engagement while concept mapping within a stressful healthcare clinical learning environment and explains how the process of mapping patient care improved students’ engagement in learning. The impacts of concept mapping process went beyond participation to self-direction, higher-level thinking, and greater impact on clinical decision making for the student participants.

Effective elements of a combined lifestyle intervention for people with low socioeconomic status. A concept mapping case study

AbstractHealth inequalities still exist between people with a low socioeconomic status (SES) and people with a high SES. Combined lifestyle interventions (CLIs) could benefit the health of people with a low SES. However, it is unclear which CLI elements are effective for this group. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effective elements X‑Fittt 2.0, a CLI for people with a low SES. Nine professionals and one participant of X‑Fittt 2.0 participated in a concept mapping (CM) process to develop an overview of the effective elements of X‑Fittt 2.0. CM consists of six steps: preparing, brainstorming, clustering, scoring, analysing, and discussing and interpreting. This process resulted in 72 effective elements, grouped in nine clusters, focused on monitoring (12), internal (7) and external (4) collaborations, structure and guidance (10), agreements with participants (5), sports options in the first 12 weeks (10), the sports environment (10), recruitment strategies (5) and the preconditions for X‑Fittt 2.0 (9). These results provide a valuable first overview of effective elements of CLIs for people with a low SES.

Identifying opioid-related electronic health record phenotypes for emergency care research and surveillance: An expert consensus driven concept mapping process

Background: Case identification for many areas of opioid research and surveillance in the emergency department (ED) is challenging as patients are often undifferentiated with nonspecific symptoms and diagnostic codes have proven to be inaccurate. Opioid-related phenotypes based on combinations of electronic health record data are a promising method to address this gap but lack a consensus-based conceptual framework to aid organization and prioritization. Methods: To achieve consensus around opioid-related phenotype topics in the ED, we used a hybrid scheme that employed modified Delphi and conceptual mapping methods. The combined iterative process used three rounds of electronic meetings and questionnaires to generate consensus recommendations and concept mappings based on the opinions and feedback of the 9 member Delphi panel. Mean importance and feasibility scores based on 5-point Likert scales (1 = relatively unimportant (infeasible) to 5 = extremely important (feasible)) for each statement/phenotype were calculated. We used multidimensional scaling to produce a point map of the phenotype concepts and hierarchical cluster analysis to generate concept maps. Results: After the first round, 120 initial phenotype concepts were proposed which were reduced to 73 concepts after normalization by the research team. Opioid overdose (9.54, SD = 0.9) had the highest combined importance and feasibility score. A final labeled 12-cluster solution was determined to be the most parsimonious description of the content by the research team. Three key groups emerged: opioid overdose, other opioid-specific phenotypes (opioid use disorder, opioid misuse, and opioid withdrawal) with significant concept overlap and opioid use-related phenotypes (homelessness, falls, infections, and suicidality). Conclusions: Using an expert consensus driven concept mapping process we identified specific opioid phenotype concepts within an overlapping schema that carry high priority for development and validation to advance emergency care opioid-related research and surveillance.

Power, politics, and culture of marine conservation technology in fisheries.

The term conservation technology is applied widely and loosely to any technology connected to conservation. This overly broad understanding can lead to confusion around the actual mechanisms of conservation in a technological system, which can result in neglect and underdevelopment of the human dimensions of conservation technology. Ultimately, this hinders its effectiveness as technological fixes for conservation problems. Through a process of concept mapping based on key case studies and literature, I devised precise definitions of marine conservation technology and technological marine conservation system. Concerns about the use of marine conservation technologies included unintended consequences, halfway technologies that address the symptoms but not the causes of problems, and misguided techno‐optimism (i.e., technology is a panacea that can solve any problem). Technology and technological systems can have power, politics, and culture, and these characteristics can influence the contextual fit of a technology, requiring that technology be thoughtfully created or adapted to the circumstances in which it will be used. Power, politics, and culture inherent in technology can also influence the distribution of conservation risks and benefits and potentially widen gaps in wealth, privilege, opportunities, and justice. Addressing these concerns can potentially be achieved through the better integration of social sciences in marine conservation technology and technological marine conservation system design and development and the application of the social‐ecological‐technological systems framework. This framework melds key concepts from the socioecological systems framework and science and technology studies. It recognizes as and elevates technology to be a central actor that can shape societies and the natural world. Such a framework incorporates broader understanding, so that the values and concerns of society are more effectively addressed in the creation and implementation of marine conservation technologies and technological marine conservation systems.

Speech pathology service enhancement for people with head and neck cancer living in rural areas: Using a concept mapping approach to inform service change.

Speech pathology (SP) services provide swallowing and communication intervention to people with head and neck cancer (HNC) across the continuum of care. However, difficulties exist with access and delivery of services in rural areas. The study aim was to identify actionable goals for SP change, utilizing a concept mapping approach. Eleven SP staff from two regional/remote services completed the concept mapping process. Multivariate analysis and multidimensional scaling were used to develop a final set of prioritized goals for change. Between the two participating health services, 30 actionable goals were identified within the "green-zone" on the go-zone graph of importance and changeability. Among the most highly rated areas for change was the need to deliver and receive more support for training, mentoring, and supervision to consolidate skills. This methodology enabled identification of prioritized, actionable changes to improve SP services for people with HNC living in regional/remote areas.

Molecular Orbital Theory—Teaching a Difficult Chemistry Topic Using a CSCL Approach in a First-Year University Course

Collaboration is regarded as one of the core competences of the 21st century when it comes to complex problem solving. In response to high dropout rates among STEM students, we developed a digital-collaborative intervention on a difficult topic, MO theory, for first-year chemistry students. First, students work independently in a Digital Learning Environment (DLE). Afterwards, they collaborate in small groups and create Concept Maps on MO theory. We evaluate this intervention through knowledge tests, tests of attractiveness, cognitive load, and usability during the DLE and concept mapping process, as well as audio and screen recordings during the collaborative group processes. This paper presents the detailed study design together with results from a first study in January 2021, focusing on the practicability of the intervention and students’ feedback. Overall, each small group succeeded in creating a Concept Map. Students rated all phases of the intervention as attractive, with high usability and low cognitive load, although the interactive videos scored better for attractiveness and usability than the concept mapping process. On that basis, first adjustments for a second cycle of the intervention, which will be conducted in January 2022, were derived.