Semi-automated map generation for concept gaming

Conventional learning games have often limited flexibility to address individual needs of a learner. The concept gaming approach provides a frame for handling conceptual structures that are defined by a concept map. A single concept map can be used to create many alternative games and these can be chosen so that personal learning goals can be taken well into account. However, the workload of creating new concept maps and sharing them effectively seems to easily hinder adoption of concept gaming. We now propose a new semi-automated map generation method for concept gaming. Due to fast increase in the open access knowledge available in the Web, the articles of the Wikipedia encyclopedia were chosen to serve as a source for concept map generation. Based on a given entry name the proposed method produces hierarchical concept maps that can be freely explored and modified. Variants of this approach could be successfully implemented in the wide range of educational tasks. In addition, ideas for further development of concept gaming are proposed.Peer reviewe

Concept Maps for Teaching and Assessment

Concept maps, a specific kind of mental model, are one method of representing and measuring an individual\u27s knowledge. They are an alternative tool for teaching through building relevant associations, and a method for measuring knowledge and recall over time. Concept maps provide a visual representation of conceptual and relationship knowledge within a particular domain. Concept maps look like a spider web, consisting of many nodes (i.e., key concepts) connected to one another by lines that indicate relationships. In the learning process, students can develop concept maps as an alternative to traditional note-taking by building associations of non-linear key concepts and organizing them to fit with their individual learning styles and frames of reference. The presence of concepts and relationships on a map can provide an instructor with a snapshot of student knowledge and understanding. The proximity and connection of key concepts provide insight for instructors attempting to evaluate how ideas from class were absorbed by students. Conversely, the absence of concepts or relationships, or inappropriate connections between unrelated concepts, provide clues about what information students failed to internalize or incorporate. Concept maps may aid the instructor in assessing what students understand and how they relate the material to the overall course goals. They are easily taught and can be incorporated in introductory units, mid-term reviews and assessments, or end-of-course reviews and assessments

Professional Socialisation into Physiotherapy: The Workplace Realities

This paper illuminates the professional socialization process in a variety of physiotherapy workplaces through engagement with a range of facilities and participants (including new graduates, physiotherapy managers and experienced physiotherapists). It explores being and becoming a physiotherapist, and gives recognition to the importance of the workplace in the professional socialization process. It reports positive workplace experiences for recent graduates, and identifies links between these experiences, professional career structures, and the attrition rate from the profession. Just how well prepared are physiotherapists for the realities of the workplace? While this paper includes a theoretical model of professional socialization, the focus is on the narrative model, which is the lived experience of physiotherapists in the context of practice in the constantly changing healthcare workplace through globalisation and economic rationalization

Utilitzant mapes conceptuals per a estructurar una revisió de literatura a petita escala: una aproximació a l'aprenentatge basat en la investigació en la formació inicial de mestres

Research-based learning (RBL) is a useful tool for combining theory and practice in teacher education. However, pre-service teachers struggle with the idea of teacher as researcher. One popular (meta)methodology considered in educational research (and that is well suited to school research) is design-based research (DBR). Incorporating this approach into RBL as a method for developing teaching innovation in schools could be one way to include RBL in teacher education and place pre-service teachers in the position of teacher as researcher. This study explores the potential of using digital concept maps to support the conceptualization phase (during the literature review) of an RBL process based on DBR in a pre-service teacher-education course prior to the design of a teaching innovation strategy for schools. Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from a questionnaire administered to pre-service teachers and from the semantic evaluation of the concept maps of these teachers. Our results show an overall consensus among pre-service teachers that concept maps are useful for structuring small-scale literature reviews. Pre-service teachers also believe there is a strong possibility that they will use concept maps when they become teachers. We use our findings to make recommendations for university lecturers to use digital concept maps to design RBL activities based on literature reviews and with emphasis on teacher education.El aprendizaje basado en la investigación (ABI) se considera una herramienta útil para integrar la teoría y la práctica en la formación de maestros. Sin embargo, los maestros en formación se enfrentan a la idea poco clara del profesor como investigador. Una de las (meta)metodologías populares consideradas en la investigación educativa, que se adapta bien a la investigación escolar, es la investigación basada en el diseño (IBD). La incorporación de este enfoque en el ABI como forma de desarrollar innovaciones pedagógicas en las escuelas puede ser una opción para integrar el ABI en la formación de maestros y poner a los maestros en formación en el lugar del profesor como investigador. Este estudio explora el potencial de los mapas conceptuales digitales para apoyar el desarrollo de la fase de conceptualización -durante la revisión de la literatura- de un proceso de ABI basado en una perspectiva de IBD en una asignatura de formación inicial de maestros, como fase previa al diseño de una innovación docente para escuelas. Se obtuvieron datos cuantitativos y cualitativos a partir de un cuestionario para maestros en formación y de la evaluación semántica de sus mapas conceptuales. Los resultados muestran un consenso general entre los maestros en formación respecto a que los mapas conceptuales son realmente útiles para estructurar revisiones bibliográficas a pequeña escala y tienen un marcado potencial para ser utilizados cuando se conviertan en maestros. De los resultados se derivan recomendaciones para que los profesores universitarios diseñen actividades de ABI relacionadas con revisiones bibliográficas utilizando mapas conceptuales digitales, con énfasis en la formación de maestros.This work was supported by the Quality Pact for Teaching of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany under Grant 01PL16056 – Research-Based Learning in Focus Plus (FLiF+) project [Forschungbasiertes Lernen im Fokus Plus - FliF plus], University of Oldenbur

A TEORIA DA APRENDIZAGEM SIGNIFICATIVA DE AUSUBEL E OS MAPAS CONCEITUAIS DE NOVAK NA FORMAÇÃO DE PROFESSORES PEDAGOGOS

O processo de formação inicial ou continuada de professores procura apresentar subsídios para que estes possam abordar os mais diversos temas em suas aulas por meio de estratégias de ensino e aprendizagem que sejam facilitadoras do processo. O mapa conceitual é uma destas estratégias inovadoras e atua como ferramenta mediadora do processo de aprendizagem significativa do conhecimento. Dessa forma, pretende-se que os professores pedagogos em formação inicial internalizem a Teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa de Ausubel e introduzam os mapas conceituais de Novak em suas aulas e possam, a partir disso, descobrir o conhecimento prévio do aluno sobre o conteúdo a ser discutido, preparar e organizar suas aulas, fazer uma avaliação da aprendizagem do aluno e um feedback sobre a prática pedagógica do professor. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi pesquisar a aceitação dos mapas conceituais como estratégias de ensino, dos graduandos da 5ª fase do Curso de pedagogia da Unesc, na disciplina de didática no ensino de ciências, principalmente no ensino de ciências, por meio de uma oficina de mapas conceituais

Uso do Mapa Conceitual como Ferramenta Auxiliar no Ensino da Disciplina Política e Organização da Educação Brasileira

Os mapas conceituais consistem em uma representação gráfica e visual de idéias e da inter-relação entre idéias e/ou conceitos. Há uma série de usos para os mapas conceituais na escola e a partir disto desenvolveu-se a hipótese do uso do mapa conceitual como auxiliar no processo de ensino e aprendizagem do conteúdo da disciplina Política e Organização da Educação Brasileira ministrada para cursos de licenciatura de uma universidade pública localizada em Piracicaba/SP. Para tal, realizou-se a divisão dos 42 alunos matriculados na disciplina em duplas, para elaborar o mapa conceitual inicial, dispondo de 30 minutos após a aula. Os mapas foram recolhidos e corrigidos. Após a correção os mapas foram devolvidos aos alunos, que fizeram o mapa final, também em 30 minutos e depois de estudarem e pesquisarem sobre o tema. Os resultados do trabalho foram avaliados mediante a análise qualitativa e quantitativa dos mapas. Dessa forma verificou-se, entre outros resultados, que os mapas finais foram maiores, mais complexos e com mais ramificações quando comparados aos mapas iniciais. Concluiu-se que os mapas foram importantes na promoção do processo de ensino e aprendizagem, visto que os alunos tiveram melhor aproveitamento da disciplina e maior facilidade para resolução das provas

Professional Socialisation into Physiotherapy: The Workplace Realities

This paper illuminates the professional socialization process in a variety of physiotherapy workplaces through engagement with a range of facilities and participants (including new graduates, physiotherapy managers and experienced physiotherapists). It explores being and becoming a physiotherapist, and gives recognition to the importance of the workplace in the professional socialization process. It reports positive workplace experiences for recent graduates, and identifies links between these experiences, professional career structures, and the attrition rate from the profession. Just how well prepared are physiotherapists for the realities of the workplace? While this paper includes a theoretical model of professional socialization, the focus is on the narrative model, which is the lived experience of physiotherapists in the context of practice in the constantly changing healthcare workplace through globalisation and economic rationalization

Concept maps as versatile tools to integrate complex ideas: From Kindergarten to higher and professional education

Knowledge is getting increasingly more complex. Learners, from Kindergarten to higher education, require powerful tools to connect complex ideas. This paper explores the range of studies that investigated concept maps as learning, metacognitive, collaborative, and assessment tools to support integrating complex ideas. Research suggests that concept maps can be successfully implemented in a wide variety of settings, from K12 to higher and professional education. However, the effectiveness of concept maps depends on different factors, such as concept map training and choosing a suitable form of concept map to match the task and learner. Developing proficiency in concept mapping takes time and practice and should not be first introduced in higher education. Concept map training could start as early as Kindergarten and include concept map generation, interpretation, and revision. This paper concludes that, if implemented thoughtfully, concept maps can be versatile tools to support knowledge integration processes towards a deeper understanding of the relations and structures of complex ideas and facilitate life-long learning

Mapas conceituais e seus usos : um estudo da literatura

Orientador : Heloisa Vieira da RochaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de ComputaçãoResumo: O presente trabalho traz um estudo sobre mapas conceituais e suas diversas formas de utilização, construção e aplicação. Traz ainda, comentários detalhados dos softwares CMap Tools e Inspiration, instrumentos auxiliares na construção de mapas conceituais (diagramas) no Ensino a Distância (EAD)Abstract: This work presents a study about concept maps and their varied forms of utilization, construction and application. It also presents detailed comments from softwares CMap Tools and Inspiration, which are supporting instruments to make concept maps (diagrams) in Distance Education (DE)MestradoEngenharia de ComputaçãoMestre em Computaçã