Mapping the emotional journey of teaching

This paper will explore the use of Novakian concept mapping as a means of visualising and tracing the range of emotions inherent within any teaching experience. It will focus in particular on its use within higher education, where the presence of emotion has traditionally been disregarded or seemingly suppressed. The example of undergraduate teaching of the law degree will be used as an area where the role of emotion is particularly under-theorised. This paper will assess the effectiveness of concept mapping as a tool to enable academics to explicitly acknowledge, and reflect upon, the existence of emotion, both in terms of their individual teaching experiences, their collective teaching journey through a course or qualification and their students’ learning journey. It will also consider how use of this technique at a collective level could identify areas of pedagogic frailty, which may arise due to the misinterpreting, mishandling or suppression of emotion. The various opportunities and challenges arising from this application of concept mapping techniques will be discussed, drawing on a small, empirical pilot study, and leading to the conclusion that it has a useful and significant role to play within an emerging field of enquiry

Fostering Open Sensemaking Communities by Combining Knowledge Maps and Videoconferencing

In this paper, our aim is to investigate the role of Compendium maps for both learners and educators to share and debate interpretations in FlashMeetingTM (FM) videoconferences in the context of OpenLearn, an online environment for open learning. This work is based on a qualitative study of knowledge maps and web videoconferencing interactions, and quantitative data presented in diagnostic reports about both tools. Our theoretical approach is based on the sensemaking concept and an existing framework for three learning scenarios. Our findings describe four applications of knowledge maps in videoconferencing: (i) Mind Maps for a FM virtual lecture (transmission scenario); (ii) Learning Path Map which integrates a FM conference (studio scenario); (iii) Concept Maps during a peer-to-peer event (negotiation scenario) and (iv) Web Maps for a FM replay (assessment scenario)

A theoretical view on concept mapping

Auto‐monitoring is the pivotal concept in understanding the operation of concept maps, which have been used to help learners make sense of their study and plan learning activities. Central to auto‐monitoring is the idea of a ‘learning arena’ where individuals can manipulate concept representations and engage in the processes of checking, resolving and confirming understandings. The learner is assisted by familiar metaphors (for example, networks) and the possibility of thinking ‘on action’ while ‘in action’. This paper discusses these concepts, and concludes by arguing that maps are part of the process of learning rather than a manifestation of learning itself. Auto‐monitoring is suggested as an appropriate term to describe the process of engaging in the learning arena

Estudio de caso y mapeo conceptual, un proceso colaborativo integrado

Different significance of collaborative concept mapping and collaborative argumentation in Case Based Learning are discussed and compared in the different perspectives of answering focus questions, of fostering reflective thinking skills and in managing uncertainty in problem solving in a scaffolded environment. Marked differences are pointed out between the way concepts are used in constructing concept maps and the way meanings are adopted in case-based learning through guided argumentation activities. Shared concept maps should be given different scopes, as for example a) as an advance organizer in preparing a background system of concepts that will undergo transformation while accompanying the inquiry activities on case studies or problems; b) together with narratives, to enhance awareness of the situated epistemologies that are being entailed in choosing certain concepts during more complex case studies, and c) after-learning construction of a holistic vision of the whole domain by means of the most inclusive concepts, while scaffolded- collaborative writing of narratives and arguments in describing-treating cases could better serve as a source of situated-inspired tools to create-refine meanings for particular concepts.El mapeo conceptual y la argumentación colaborativa son utilizados en la estrategia de estudios de caso con la ayuda de andamiajes conceptuales. Se discute y comparan las respuestas que los estudiantes dan a las preguntas de enfoque, prestando atención a las habilidades de pensamiento reflexivo y el manejo de lo incierto en la resolución de problemas. Se observan marcadas diferencias entre la manera en que los conceptos son utilizados en la construcción de mapas conceptuales, y la manera en que los significados son apropiados durante la resolución de problemas mediante actividades guiadas de argumentación. Los mapas conceptuales compartidos pueden tener diferentes perspectivas, por ejemplo: a) como organizadores previos, que sirven de soporte, mediante el uso de un sistema de conceptos, para acompañar las actividades de indagación en la solución de problemas: b) junto a narrativas, permiten ampliar la toma de conciencia de la relación entre los conceptos utilizados, y las posiciones epistemológicas asumidas en la resolución de problemas y casos complejos, y c) para después de la experiencia de aprendizaje, como una visión holística del dominio (de conocimiento) completo, integran los conceptos más inclusivos, mientras se ayuda a la escritura en colaboración de narrativas y argumentos que describen y discuten los casos estudiados, este enfoque puede servir como una fuente de herramientas situadas de inspiración para desarrollar y refinar los significados de conceptos específicos

Developing the scales on evaluation beliefs of student teachers

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the validity and the reliability of a newly developed questionnaire named ‘Teacher Evaluation Beliefs’ (TEB). The framework for developing items was provided by the two models. The first model focuses on Student-Centered and Teacher-Centered beliefs about evaluation while the other centers on five dimensions (what/ who/ when/ why/ how). The validity and reliability of the new instrument was investigated using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis study (n=446). Overall results indicate that the two-factor structure is more reasonable than the five-factor one. Further research needs additional items about the latent dimensions “what” ”who” ”when” ”why” “how” for each existing factor based on Student-centered and Teacher-centered approaches

Investigating content representations (CoRes) as pedagogical tools for science teacher education

In this article Anne Hume discusses how use of scholarship and action research led me to introduce an intervention into my science education programmes called Content Representations (CoRes). My initial findings strongly indicate CoRes could be very useful tools for helping student teachers develop the professional knowledge base they need for teaching

A pedagogical tool for science teacher education: Content Representation (CoRe) design

The promotion of reflective practice amongst participants in teacher education programmes (e.g. Bain et al, 1999; Moon, 1999; Loughran & Corrigan, 1995; Shireen et al, 2003; Wallace & Louden, 2003) and the wider teaching community is widely championed for enhancing professional learning and growth