Concept Mapping Tools Research Articles

Exploring the Effectiveness of Web-Based Concept and Mind Mapping Tools for Enhancing Teaching and Learning ESP

Exploring the Effectiveness of Web-Based Concept and Mind Mapping Tools for Enhancing Teaching and Learning ESP

Development and reliability of the width depth strength tool for assessing the structural quality of paper-based concept maps: WiDeST

Drawing a paper-based concept map gives students more freedom to express their mental model than digital concept mapping tools. However, this freedom can hinder a uniform structure and make determining the structural quality of students’ mental models more difficult. In this dual-study paper, we develop and determine the reliability of our Width, Depth and Strength Tool (WiDeST) for assessing paper-based concept maps in secondary and tertiary education. In the first study, 157 secondary education students created 1377 concept maps in a longitudinal design over 24 weeks. The first study's results indicate that WiDeST is reliable, with an Omega Total of 0.81. Test-retest stability (ICCk2) ranges between 0.72 and 0.84. To test whether WiDeST remained reliable in tertiary education, we undertook a second study in which 80 students created 80 concept maps. The second study's results show that WiDeST is reliable with an Omega total of 0.70. WiDeST remained reliable while the structural complexity of the mental models increased from secondary education to tertiary education.

Content Analysis of Peace Education in English Curriculum at Secondary Level

Every society develops its curriculum according to its needs and philosophical thoughts. A peaceful environment is an important element for the overall development of society. The researcher conducted a content analysis of peace education in the English curriculum in grade 10th at the secondary level in Punjab. The qualitative research design was adopted and the suggested framework by Braun and Clarke in 2006 was applied to the content analysis to analyze one aspect (Affective phase) of Castro and Galace Model of Peace Education. The concept map instrument based on the aspect of peace values was developed. The concept map tool was validated through experts’ opinions while experts’ peer reliability was established. The aspects of peace education were analyzed in the English textbook of grade 10th based on content, learning objectives and activities. The text was examined, noted and explained in the concept framework to find out the quality of the description. The learning objectives of the English curriculum in grade 10th at the secondary level reflected that peace education has not been satisfactorily addressed. Only eleven aspects of peace education are represented and there is no content on the value of gender equality. Only four units out of 13 (31%) directly addressed peace values. It is recommended to revise the English curriculum, integrate peace aspects and give equal weightage to all aspects of peace education.

Concept Mapping as a Tool to Scaffold Summary Writing

Second language learners generally struggle with comprehending and identifying main ideas while reading academic texts. Moreover, students are expected to write summaries of texts as a part of their curriculum to facilitate their reading comprehension. Whereas summary writing can be considered a sound post-reading strategy that facilitates comprehension, it is a skill that needs to be mastered. The present action research introduces concept mapping, a fundamental cognitive learning strategy, to facilitate tertiary-level students' reading comprehension and summary writing skills. The sample consisted of 22 undergraduate students, male and female, from the Faculty of Social Sciences in a public sector university in Karachi. Two four-week action cycles engaged students in reading and summary writing tasks using a direct method with model summary samples and a concept mapping tool. Students’ reflective notes and written summaries were used as data collection tools. Thematic data analysis revealed that concept mapping proved to be an effective tool in summary writing and facilitated students in identifying and organizing main ideas. Findings and ethical considerations are discussed.

КІРІКТІРІЛГЕН ТАПСЫРМАЛАРДЫ ҚОЛДАНУ АРҚЫЛЫ ОҚУШЫЛАРДЫҢ ЗЕРТТЕУШІЛІК ДАҒДЫЛАРЫН ДАМЫТУ

. The main goal of the authors conducting this research is to enhance students' research skills through integrated tasks. The study aimed to develop skills such as creating hypotheses, modeling, problem identification and solution finding, proofing, evaluating mathematical relationships and dependencies, and generalizing results. This research assists teachers in preparing challenging tasks aligned with learning objectives, catering to students' abilities and needs during the learning process. It also aims to translate and advance the experience of fostering deep understanding by developing students' skills in problem identification and solution finding. Throughout the research, the works of both Kazakh and foreign scientists were utilized. For instance, Felton M. provided comprehensive instruction at the University of Arizona, while Kozhabaev K. contributed to methods of teaching mathematics in Almaty. The concept map tool proposed by Joseph Nowak, a scholar from Cornell University, was employed to analyze interdisciplinary communication in the 1970s. Additionally, the method of "systematic observation of teaching and learning" was utilized to obtain the necessary diagnostic information for the study. The research also utilized the results of the Howard Gardner Intelligence Test, which was conducted by school psychologists. The findings of this research indicated that the research skill of knowledge formation in the subject area had a positive impact on enhancing the quality of complex tasks.

Exploring views on medical care for people with intellectual disabilities: an international concept mapping study

BackgroundMedical care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is organized differently across the globe and interpretation of the concept of medical care for people with IDD may vary across countries. Existing models of medical care are not tailored to the specific medical care needs of people with IDD. This study aims to provide an improved understanding of which aspects constitute medical care for people with IDD by exploring how international researchers and practitioners describe this care, using concept mapping.MethodsTwenty-five experts (researchers and practitioners) on medical care for people with IDD from 17 countries submitted statements on medical care in their country in a brainstorming session, using an online concept mapping tool. Next, they sorted all collected statements and rated them on importance.ResultsParticipants generated statements that reflect current medical and health care practice, their ideas on good practice, and aspirations for future medical and health care for people with IDD. Based on the sorting of all statements, a concept map was formed, covering 13 aspects that characterize medical and health care for people with IDD across nations. The 13 aspects varied minimally in importance ratings and were grouped into five overarching conceptual themes: (i) active patient role, (ii) provider role, (iii) context of care, (iv) consequences of care for people with IDD, and (v) quality of care.ConclusionsThe themes, clusters and statements identified through this explorative study provide additional content and context for the specific patient group of people with IDD to the dimensions of previous models of medical care.

Concept maps in immunology: A metacognitive tool to promote collaborative and meaningful learning among undergraduate medical students.

Introduction: Concept maps are graphical representations of knowledge that connect concepts, ideas, and relationships. The present study aims at assessing the perception of medical students in utilization of concept maps as a tool to foster their lifelong learning skills in immunology.Methods: The current study was approved by Institutional Ethics and Review Committee. Third-year undergraduate (MD3) medical students of the academic year 2021-22 were sensitized about the concept map study and included after obtaining their informed consent. The students worked in teams to find answers and link the different words or phrases of the concept maps. At the end of the immunology course, students’ perception on concept map-based learning strategy was assessed. A pre-designed, self-administered questionnaire, pre-validated by subject experts for relevance and feasibility, was used for the study. The questionnaire included some quantitative questions assessed by using 3-point Likert Scale and an open-ended question to receive students’ comments on concept map-based learning strategy. The responses were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative variables, tabulated as numbers and percentages while the qualitative data was analyzed by thematic analysis. The quantitative data results were prioritized but supported by students’ comments on open ended question.Results: Out of 133 eligible participants, 109 students who volunteered and completed the study were included. Majority of our participants (>80%) welcomed the concept map-based learning strategy. Almost 4 out of 5 expressed that concept maps are interesting and enjoyable, encourage active participation, peer discussion, and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. More than 80% of the students agreed that concept maps promoted deep understanding of the topic and lifelong learning. Nearly 3 out of 4 students suggested including concept maps in many immunology topics in future. Majority of students penned down positive comments indicating concept map tool facilitates metacognitive skills.Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that concept maps are effective active learning strategies to improve the metacognitive domain of medical students in immunology course, thus assisting them to become better lifelong learners.

Analysis of quality of knowledge structure and students\u2019 perceptions in extension concept mapping

Extension concept mapping is a technique to connect prior existing concept maps with new knowledge structures. It offers advantages in each stage of the knowledge-integrating process and encourages learners to improve their performance. While previous studies have confirmed that the extended kit-build concept map outperformed the extended scratch-build approach in terms of comprehension test scores and map size, they have yet to evaluate the quality of concept maps and students' perceptions. Although the size of the concept map components could represent the breadth of personal knowledge, it does not constantly describe the good knowledge structure. In addition, the student's degree of acceptance after the concept mapping demonstrates their intention to use systems in the future. The present study aims to compare the effect of extended scratch-build and extended kit-build on the students' quality of knowledge structures and perceptions. Fifty-five second-year university students were involved and divided into two groups: control and experimental. The control group utilized the extended scratch-build map, while the experimental group used the extended kit-build concept mapping tool. Quality of propositions and structural map scores as learning outcomes were used to measure the students' knowledge structures. The possibility of a relationship between quality scores was expressed using the Spearman correlation. This study involved the Technology Acceptance Model to confirm the students' perceptions of extension concept mapping tools. The perceived ease-of-use, perceived usefulness, and behavioral intention constructs were used to investigate users' intentions. The findings suggest that the quality of propositions and structural map scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than in the control group. This study also found that the extended kit-build method achieved better perceptions scores than the extended scratch-build.

Creating positive learning experiences with technology: A field study on the effects of user experience for digital concept mapping

Learning and assessment are increasingly mediated by digital technologies. Thus, learners’ experiences with these digital technologies are growing in importance, as they might affect learning and assessment. The present paper explores the impact of user experience on digital concept mapping. It builds on user experience theory to explain variance in the intention to use digital concept mapping tools and in concept map-based assessment scores. Furthermore, it identifies fulfillment of psychological needs as an important driver of positive experiences. In a field study in three schools and a university (N = 71), we tested two concept mapping prototypes on computers and tablets. We found that user experience is a significant factor explaining variance in intention to use. User experience also explained variance in three out of four concept mapping scores on tablets, potentially related to the lower pragmatic quality of the tablet prototypes. Fulfillment of psychological needs strongly affected perceptions of different qualities of user experience with digital concept mapping. These results indicate that user experience needs to be considered in digital concept mapping to provide a positive and successful environment for learning and assessment. Finally, we discuss implications for designers of digital learning and assessment tools.

Authors, Activists, Archivists: A Dialogue with Francesca Orsini on Dalit Literature across Languages, Genre, Media

In 2014, two sets of Dalit literature scholars based in the West started working on two different collaborative grant projects that announced themselves as ‘networks’: Nicole Thiara and Judith Misrahi-Barak received AHRC funding to organise a series of programmes for the Dalit Literature Network, and Christi Merrill and her colleagues at the University of Michigan received internal funding to develop a suite of digital tools called Translation Networks (TN). In this dialogue with Francesca Orsini, Merrill uses examples from the overlap between these two different networks to describe how the TN concept mapping tool helps users visualise underlying scholarly infrastructures they depend on and in the process disrupt many of the binaries and hierarchies built into conventional archiving tools.

Design and development of semi-automatic concept map authoring support tool

This research, to design and develop a concept map authoring support tool, adopts a semi-automatic concept mapping approach to help teachers create concept maps from English readings. A concept map is widely regarded as a useful teaching and learning tool. It offers many potential advantages apart from representing the students’ knowledge and understanding during learning. Students’ engagement in using and creating concept maps with a computer-enabled concept mapping tool raises concept maps’ potential benefits. It contributes to the learning process and improves the students’ meaningful learning. The Kit-Build concept map framework, which incorporates a technology-enabled concept mapping tool, uses concept map recomposition as its essential learning activity. In learning with Kit-Build, teachers compose concept maps that they want the students to achieve. The teachers’ maps are then decomposed into components from which the students recompose and reflect deeply on their understanding. The difference between teacher’s and students’ concept maps depicts the gap between teachers’ expected understanding and students’ actual understanding. Hence, the teachers’ concept map becomes an essential part of learning with Kit-Build. For some teachers, creating a good concept map for learning is difficult and time-consuming. Hence, support to improve teachers’ productivity in creating concept maps is essential. The findings suggest that the support tool yields better concept mapping efficiency while maintaining concept maps of similar quality. Teachers also found that the support tool was useful. Therefore, semi-automatic concept mapping with the supported Kit-Build concept map authoring tool has been shown to be a better approach.

Insulating Peace: Managerial Coordination in Durable Security Complexes

Abstract I argue that insulation via managerial coordination is a key element in any explanation about the formation of political regions among states. The key role it plays is as a tool for the maintenance of intra-regional pacific relations in the face of diffusion and contagion processes, resulting from continued security linkages with excluded extra-regional states. In order to explore these dynamics, I propose a new reconceptualization of the concept of managerial coordination based on the basic framework concept mapping tool. This leads to clarity about what managerial coordination does as a dimension of insulation. It also necessitates a revamp of the scale of interstate managerial coordination as a measuring instrument of the intensity of collective intentionality toward insulation among the members of a region. I then map the region concept of durable security complex (DSC) as the scope for the enactment of managerial coordination, based on a review of existing region concepts in the new regionalist literature. I then conduct an ideographic proof-of-concept exercise on three DSCs in the presence or absence of managerial coordination. These are the Scandinavian states, the South Asian regional security complex, and the South American Norther Tier local hierarchy. The exercise provides indicators for a number of theoretical propositions worthy of future evaluation.

Water Security and River Basin Revitalization of the São Francisco River Basin: A Symbiotic Relationship

What is river basin revitalization’s place in relation to water security? This question is the basis of our reflection, posed to help in the understanding of the evolution of both concepts, taking management of the São Francisco River Basin (Brazil) as a case study. With this main objective in mind, a literature review was carried out, followed by the collection of survey data on the watershed’s revitalization program. In this context, the members of the São Francisco River Basin Committee (a total of 124 participants) were consulted, using questionnaires with the Delphi method. The respondents (a total of 47) chose the river basin revitalization strategy as the main measure to achieving water security in the São Francisco River Basin. They also highlighted the importance of the environmental dimension, underlining measures for conservation and restoration of the ecosystem’s natural functions. The concept map tool was adopted for a comparative perspective between conceptual implications of revitalization and water security for the studied river basin’s conservation. The results showed the existence of a symbiotic relationship between both concepts. Consequently, we conclude that it is urgent to reconcile water use and ecosystem ecological integrity through the comprehensive concept of water security.

Understanding Digital Health Technologies Using Mind Maps.

The purpose of this project was to explore digital health technologies in the healthcare environment through the use of concept and mind mapping tools in a graduate level informatics practicum course. This descriptive course evaluation project was conducted at a large university school of nursing during the 2019-2020 academic year and included a convenience sample of 163 doctor of nursing practice students. Students completed four major deliverables exploring digital health technologies and data sources using mind maps. Project goals were evaluated using detailed rubrics and data from a course evaluation questionnaire (CEQ) then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Comments from the CEQ and reflection documents were reviewed for themes and validated by two experts. The variety and creativity of the mind maps along with student comments indicated their ability to apply critical thinking skills to the specific content and technologies being examined. Overall CEQ mean scores were high (M = 4.35), indicating that the mind mapping deliverables were logical, relevant, appropriate, and meaningful to learning. Nurse educators and healthcare professionals should consider using mind mapping techniques because this venue allows for expanded understanding of the complexities of the healthcare environment and integration of related digital health technologies. The recent pandemic highlighted the necessity for new technologies to continue providing patient care services. Mind maps are a fast and economical tool for understanding and prioritizing the needs of an organization as well as a unique teaching strategy to promote critical thinking and sharing of ideas related to digital health technologies.

Investigating grade-12 students’ cognitive structures about the atomic structure: a content analysis of student concept maps

ABSTRACT There is a close relationship between chemistry and physics in the context of atomic structure, which is usually covered in both courses at the secondary-school level. However, little emphasis has been put on determining whether the students developed correct understanding of the quantum structure when they studied it in both the courses. The purpose of this study was to reveal – by using the concept mapping tool – the cognitive structures used by twelfth-grade students to understand atomic structure. One hundred forty-five students from three secondary schools in Ankara, Turkey participated in the study. The qualitative content analysis technique was employed to analyse concepts, levels of connection, and linking phrases in students’ concept maps drawn for the atom. The analysis results revealed that the students had a limited understanding of the quantum structure of the atom, even after studying the topic in chemistry and physics courses. They relied on classical ideas to understand atomic structure. The results suggest that concepts related to atomic structure should be appropriately used not only within a particular subject (e.g. physics) but also across the two subjects to help students understand the scientifically correct atomic structure. Further, several other implications for secondary-school science teaching are discussed.

Exploring student information problem solving behaviour using fine-grained concept map and search tool data

For learners to be successful in an information problem solving task, they should be able to effectively regulate their own behaviour. Despite views that such behaviour may come naturally to an individual, research generally shows that some learners do experience problems with information problem solving that may stem from such things as limited prior knowledge. As a means of addressing this challenge, the authors explored how the provision of both a concept map and search tool could overcome barriers to effective information problem solving. This was explored in the current study using data collected from 111 undergraduate students who completed an information problem solving activity, wherein a concept map and search tool were provided to help them write two short essays. Through the use of event-sequence analysis and hierarchical clustering, two information problem solving strategy groups were identified (High Engagement and Low Engagement), which differed across time-on-task and essay grades. Additional analyses were undertaken to explore self-reported prior knowledge or motivation as predictors of group assignment. The findings show that even when presented with opportunities (i.e., concept map) to support effective information problem solving, not all learners will take advantage or glean the benefits of such tools. Trace data methodology is shown to be a promising approach to explore information problem solving behaviour that can overcome the limitations of solely relying upon self-report measures.

Fostering deeper learning in a flipped classroom: Effects of knowledge graphs versus concept maps

AbstractFlipped classroom is an approach that has been increasingly used in K‐12 and higher education. Many studies on the flipped classroom have focused on student behaviors, with inadequate attention to student thinking, which is crucial to learning. Meanwhile, prior studies have examined the effects of visualization tools, such as concept map, on improving student learning through in‐depth thinking. Another related approach is knowledge graph, which presents a set of entities and their relationships in a graph as well as in a machine language for further processing and reasoning. It has a potential to support collaborative knowledge construction by automatic combination of individual knowledge graphs. To compare the effects of knowledge graph and concept map on student learning in a flipped classroom, we conducted an experimental study in fifth grade class at an elementary school. Students in the experimental group used a knowledge graph tool in the Learning Cell System, while those in the control group used a concept map tool, XMind, to support their learning of ancient Chinese poetry. The results showed that learning with knowledge graph resulted in better performance in the breadth and depth of subject knowledge as reflected in the students’ learning products (ie, concept maps or knowledge graphs). Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic The flipped classroom can improve student learning by enabling active participation and interactions. The concept map is an effective learning tool that can foster meaningful understanding and higher order thinking in both traditional and flipped classrooms. The knowledge graph is a related tool that presents a set of entities and their semantic relationships in a graph as well as in a machine language to support further processing. The knowledge graph can support collaborative knowledge construction by automatic combination of individual knowledge graphs. What this paper adds We conducted an experimental study to compare the effects of knowledge graph and concept map on student learning in a flipped classroom. Compared with concept map, learning with knowledge graph resulted in better performance in the breadth and depth of subject knowledge as reflected in the students’ learning products (ie, concept maps or knowledge graphs). Implications for practice and/or policy Learning with knowledge graph fosters more cognitive engagement in exploring the relationships between concepts represented in both individual and converged knowledge graphs. The converged knowledge graph offers the teacher a big picture of the entire class in student understanding. Relevant training should be provided to students and teachers for effective use and learning with the knowledge graph tool.

Graduate Students Using Concept Mapping to Visualize Instructional Design Processes

This study was conducted to investigate concept mapping as an instructional technique to help student designers tackle complex issues in instructional design. Specifically, this study focuses on three dimensions: perceived learning, collaborative learning, and usability. We examined how student designers perceived the use of Cacoo as a concept mapping tool in three different instructional design courses and how a concept mapping approach facilitated or constrained students’ design process. The study participants were 24 graduate students enrolled in three different courses over the span of a year. Through quantitative descriptive analysis and qualitative coding, our data revealed students’ overall positive perception toward Cacoo and demonstrated various means in which student designers successfully utilized the concept mapping approach to create external representations. We also provided implications for practitioners and recommendations for future researchers.

Uncovering the relation between clinical reasoning and diagnostic accuracy – An analysis of learner's clinical reasoning processes in virtual patients

BackgroundClinical reasoning is an important topic in healthcare training, assessment, and research. Virtual patients (VPs) are a safe environment to teach, assess and perform research on clinical reasoning and diagnostic accuracy. Our aim was to explore the details of the clinical reasoning process and diagnostic accuracy of undergraduate medical students when working with VPs using a concept mapping tool.MethodsOver seven months we provided access to 67 German and 30 English VPs combined with a concept mapping tool to visualize and measure the clinical reasoning process of identifying problems, differential diagnoses, recommended tests and treatment options, and composing a summary statement about a VP. A final diagnosis had to be submitted by the learners in order to conclude the VP scenario. Learners were allowed multiple attempts or could request the correct diagnosis from the system.ResultsWe analyzed 1,393 completed concept maps from 317 learners. We found significant differences between maps with a correct final diagnosis on one or multiple attempts and maps in which learners gave up and requested the solution from the system. These maps had lower scores, fewer summary statements, and fewer problems, differential diagnoses, tests, and treatments.ConclusionsThe different use patterns and scores between learners who had the correct final diagnosis on one or multiple attempts and those who gave up, indicate that diagnostic accuracy in the form of a correct final diagnosis on the first attempt has to be reconsidered as a sole indicator for clinical reasoning competency. For the training, assessment, and research of clinical reasoning we suggest focusing more on the details of the process to reach a correct diagnosis, rather than whether it was made in the first attempt.

Supports for deeper learning of inquiry-based ecosystem science in virtual environments - Comparing virtual and physical concept mapping

Concept mapping is an important tool used in science learning to help students construct understanding about fundamental concepts and how they are related. The EcoXPT research project has the goal of supporting authentic experiment-based inquiry within an immersive virtual world curriculum for middle school ecosystem science. It builds on prior research with the EcoMUVE curriculum, which includes, as a culminating activity, student teams creating hand-drawn concept maps to represent their hypotheses about the causal relationships in a virtual ecosystem. As part of the initial Design-Based Research phase of EcoXPT, researchers developed a new electronic concept mapping tool which was piloted with the EcoMUVE curriculum. This study looks at differences in concept maps drawn by student teams based on whether they were given access to the new concept-mapping tool. The findings provide insight into the impact of concept map scaffolding choices, and inform the design of future versions of the tool.