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. Please see the Publications page/tab of this blog for the fullpaper.