refined concept maps - a feasibility study

Our research paper titled Refined Concept Maps for Science Education: A Feasibility Study has been accepted for paper presentation at the forthcoming Episteme3 conference to be held in HBCSE, Mumbai, India during Jan 2009.

Abstract of the paper: Refined concept maps (RCM) comprises of node names and a well ­defined, invariant, minimal set of relation names. Using RCM as a methodology, it can be applied to study the changes in the knowledge structure, as a tool for analysis of forms of representations. In this paper, we discuss the study conducted to test the ease and feasibility of RCM by comparing it with other modes of representations. A homogeneous sample of school students were assigned the same task from a specific domain. The analysis shows that it was easy and feasible to use RCM by the school students. The fixed set of relation names, does not affect the expression of knowledge and at the same time helps in representing accurate knowledge. The constraints in the RCM served as an anchoring and a facilitator for representing scientific knowledge.

I shall post the final version of the paper once it is published in the proceedings.

exploring roots of rigor

Our research paper titled Exploring the Roots of Rigor: A Proposal of a Methodology for Analyzing the Conceptual Change from a Novice to an Expert has been accepted for paper presentation at the forthcoming CMC2008 to be held in September in Estonia and Finland.

Abstract of the paper: During the course of science education one of the recognizable and desirable changes from a novice to an expert is in their language (knowledge representation). One noticeable change is that of weeding out ambiguous expressions bringing in clarity and rigor. However, this happens not by weeding out the concept names but by choosing more and more accurate linking words (relation names). By focusing on the relation names we report the results of a preliminary study that confirms that subject experts increasingly chose relation names (linking words) that come closer to formal descriptions. The significance of this observation to concept mapping community as well as to cognitive development is immense, for it provides a simple and effective method to study conceptual change, validates the use of refined concept maps in place of the traditional technique in science education, and also further strengthens the approach that relationship between nodes determine the semantics, and not the nodes per se.

I shall post the link of the final version of the paper once the proceedings are published.

FKFT pre-conference SELF workshop, Barcelona Spain

The SELF consortium has organized a one day SELF workshop as part of the FKFT pre-conference. We are at the Universitat de Oberta Catalunya. The participants are getting hands-on sessions on creating, organizing, editing courses using the SELF Platform and Gnowledge Portal.

at barcelona, spain

The SELF team of Mumbai — Nagarjuna, Meena, Bipin and Rajiv are in Barcelona for the SELF workshop, FKFT conference. Barcelona is beautiful, we had a very pretty panoramic view of its port on our way to landing. We have been exploring the city by metro, bus, walk. The places that we been so far are— La Rambla del Ravel, St. Rafel, Av. Paral.lel, Poeta Catalunya, Glories.

It may seem to me a shock. On the first evening we were on the La Rambla and I just happened to look at my watch which showed 7:30 pm. Oh but it was pretty bright at this hour of the day. I could not believe that my watch was showing the right time. I thought it must be 6:30 pm with so much of light. It is summer up here to lil bit north of India. As we were talking walk on the streets for an hour or so till 8:30 pm and it was still bright.

my blog level

My blog level:

Feels good

pathway modelling of glycolysis in gnowsys

As final year project of B.Tech in Bioinformatics, Pradnya, Lakshmi, Thara students from D. Y . Patil  Institute of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Navi Mumbai, worked on a project on representing pathway modelling of glycolysis in gnowsys. The project involved to create dictionaries, store into gnowsys and then represent using graphviz. The project report can be viewed from the trac site.

The glycolysis pathway is represented using the transformations that each molecule undergoes. For e.g. the glucose 6 phosphate gets transformed into fructose 6 phosphate as a result of phosphorylation. Such processes in glycolysis have been mapped to represent the pathway.

process modelling of mitosis in gnowsys

As final year project of B.Tech in Bioinformatics, Ruchi student from D.Y . Patil from D. Y . Patil Institute of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Navi Mumbai, worked on a project on representing processes modelling of mitosis in gnowsys. The project involved to create dictionaries, store into gnowsys and then represent using graphviz. The project report can be viewed from the trac site.

The mitotic process has been represented in the form of prior-state and post-state. For e.g. in prophase, the chromatin’s prior state is thin, fibre-like and its post state is thick, condensed form. In this case, the chromatin’s properties are getting changed. In this way, we have modelled each change in the structural objects by representing the changes in the states of the object.

Workshop on collaborative building of online e-learning courses @ HBCSE

——————————————————————————————
Announcing a workshop on
“Collaborative building of online e-learning courses”

June 25, 26, 27, 2008
Gnowledge Lab, HBCSE
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The Gnowledge Lab (computer lab) of HBCSE has developed a
web-based e-learning platform for creating courses. The platform is
mainly focused on authors, content generators, translators,
instructors who wants to create course materials for dissemination of
knowledge. A glimpse of a few prototype course materials that are
being developed can be viewed from http://courses.gnowledge.org/collectionview/
The Gnowledge Lab is pleased to announce a workshop on Collaborative
building of online e-learning courses using SELF Platform, in all
languages particularly in english, marathi, or hindi.

We invite all of the staff members from HBCSE—academic, scientific,
research scholars, project, administration, technical—to participate
in this workshop.

Features of the workshop:

* Creating on-line courses in any subject using any language
* Adding & organizing lessons, glossary, faqs, test questions
* Creating personal bookshelf
* Inserting images using filemanager
* Exchanging course materials using import and export modules
* Creating versions of courses and comparing changes
* Using electronic conference room for online collaboration of courses
* The participants who will be developing content will be credited as
authors of courses automatically by the system
* The content developed will be published under GNU-FDL licence
(same as wikipedia license)

Our team will provide a demonstration on using the SELF Platform. A
training on how to type in Indian languages and publish on the
Internet will also be provided as part of the workshop.

Registration:

Interested participants can register for the workshop by sending an
email to —– self [at] hbcse.tifr.res.in —— before 20th June. The
number of participants is limited upto about 10 participants on each
day. The same workshop will be repeated on each day. So please specify
the date on which you would like to join the workshop in your email
registration. After the one day workshop you can continue to build the
courses from anywhere and collaborate using the electronic conference
room.

Venue: Gnowledge Lab ( Computer Lab - 108 )

Timings: 10:00 to 17:00

Tentative Schedule:

10:00 - 10:30 Introduction to the Gnowledge Portal & SELF Platform

10:30 - 10: 45 Quick demonstration on building on-line courses

10:45 — 11:00 Tea break (Tea and Snacks will be provided)

11:00 — 13:00 Hands-on session on building courses

13:00 — 14:00 Lunch break

14:00 — 16:00 Hands-on session on building courses

16:00 — 16:15 Tea break (Tea and Snacks will be provided)

16:15 - 17:00 Discussion on courses & Feedback

All are welcome ! Please register through —– self [at] hbcse.tifr.res.in —— for the workshop.

SELF Team & Gnowledge Team
HBCSE

—————————————–
BE SELFish
Share your Knowledge
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SELF Platform Development Report

The SELF Platform team has produced an interim report on the “SELF Platform Development: Localised and Tested System”. As part of the guidelines of the SELF Project, the report has been submitted to the European Commission on April 30, 2008. The interim report on deliverable D6 describes main features based on the SELF Platform in the three phases with regard to its implementation following the human interface design. The report has a developer, users guide alongwith the details of the technical specifications related to the server infrastructure, its setup and maintenence. The report also mentions the roadmap and development methodology. Most of the features are supported with screen shots from the SELF Platform.

Refined Concept Map

I have authored an article on Refined Concept Map on the Wikipedia.