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Home > Technology > Assessment
questions in concept maps
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Asking questions is a natural
mode of learning and growing, at the basis of human and social
coordinates. Asking questions, beside being a method to assess
acquired knowledge, is a natural way of teaching and stimulating
relational and deep knowledge. A student's question requires,
for an answer, knowledge.
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It is natural, then, to
consider that if concept maps represent knowledge, this
knowledge could be used in active mode, in dialog mode, to offer
the student a resource that enables him/her to assess the acquired
knowledge, together with some other collateral factors, but not
because of that less
important, interaction results. |
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The rationality of this function resides in the proposition that:
"if the relation between two concepts (e.g. a
is b) is an assertion, then
this proposition constitutes an answer to a specific question:
"What is a?" in
this specific case, or "what's the relation between a
and b, etc.". the
simple existence of these semantic units in the map, attributes
nodular and strategic importance to its role in the
curriculum, and in the cognitive and pedagogical course objectives as
well. The need for the stimulation (as an educational and
pedagogical goal) of the student interaction
with these structures, results evident.
This method (of automated setup) uses the knowledge
normally represented in the concept map to structure
and present questions and to supply the student with the answer
after he/she has thought about the answer of their own. It is
demonstrated that this question->answer
training exercises the student's analysis and constructive
thinking abilities.
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As
mind maps do not represent
knowledge, the method - evidently - cannot function with these
maps or with simple diagrams, both lacking relation types.
The concept map, or
knowledge base,
becomes an engine for the training of memory and thinking,
enhancing the student's searching and cognitive integration
abilities.
To activate the assessment
questions engine, only
a knowledge base (a concept
map)
is necessary being open. From the formal point of view, optimal
results are obtained when to every relation type a question
has been associated. Good results are obtained when, at least,
to every relation a question has been associated. Questions and
answers are automatically constructed and processed by Knowledge Master, analyzing the map structure. For this
reason, it is not necessary to add any additional work, beside
the concept map correct construction.
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Method
worthiness, validity and importance
The
student's personal benefits in querying (and being
queried by) the knowledge base:
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enables the students
to assess
their own learning; |
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recapitulation of the
acquired abilities, knowledge and understanding of the topic; |
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reinforcement of learning; |
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induction of reflection; |
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training of constructive
thinking and analysis abilities; |
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the request for an answer
stimulates constructive learning; |
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the student must not think
of an answer under the pressure of time; |
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the absence of a score and
other people evaluation, improves the student's
concentration on the topic and the focalization on contents, not
an effort to obtain a score or to receive a social approval; |
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training of memory processes; |
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constructive
memorization of concepts
and cognitive
structures. |
Using
vocal extroversion with this function, augments
the map multimodal power, and consequently raises the student
threshold of attention and perception, and as a result, a
longer and more harmonic permanence of cognitive structures
in the students mind. The student hears
the questions and the answers as well.
Benefits for
the group of students of querying the knowledge base,
beside those personal
The stimulation of social
constructivism, through the induction of discussion.
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Available controls |
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1.
New answer. This function selects at random and
asks a question, selected from all possible questions,
without repeating them, until all questions have been
asked. |
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2.
Asking another question on the current path.
This function selects another question, adjacent (collinear)
to the previous one (and therefore somehow related), until
the end of path. |
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3.
What do you know about...? Once invoked, this
function selects at random a node in the map and presents
it to the student as the question focus, in a way that, as
in the previous cases, he/she might analyze and think of
an answer of their own. Invoking successively the
function, other concepts are presented.
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Seeing
(and listening to) the answer.
This functions shows the answer to the current question
In the cases 1
and 2, the answer can
be simple (an assertion) or composed (several assertions),
but always logical units (semantic units), the map relevant
cognitive element.
In the 3rd
case, the answer consists of all semantic units in which
the focused concept is directly involved. |
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Listening to the full dialog
If during
the assessment session the Knowledge Master vocal
service is active, the full dialog, the question
formulation and the answer as well can be heard.
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Rationality and optimization
From the end
user's and first beneficiary of this functionality point of view,
the student, he/she must only activate the assessment session on
a ready made map
Although this
function can always be activated, its versatility and efficacy
will be directly proportional to:
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the number of relations in
the map:
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more relations, more
possible questions, greater selection;
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more relations, more
knowledge can be handled;
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with more relations more
questions are available, of central importance and
questions of peripheral importance (these are also
important).
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map completeness. If instead
of a concept map has a semantic network been made (substantially,
every relation defined in both senses, then the number of
questions doubles; |
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the dialog
formality maximizes when, to every relation type, a
question has been assigned. Otherwise, it would work as a
"fill the blanks" question type, of reduced
pedagogical and educational impact, but anyway having the
same analysis and constructive thinking stimulation effect. |
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