Differences in concept maps caused by differences in cognitive structures
by Erika Spoelma, Jeroen Olde Weghuis, Ronald Scheer
International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning (IJCEELL), Vol. 8, No. 1/2, 1998

Abstract: Based upon the global notion that learners progress not only in their level of understanding and content expertise but also in the level of meta-cognition, the hypothesis was raised that first-year versus fourth-year students would show a difference in preference for conceptual support tools due to the variety in expressiveness. TextVision versus Inspiration were chosen as two contrasting concept-mapping tools. A medical subject domain was delivered in text on paper. It was expected that there would be a higher level of detail and graphical articulation in the concept maps drawn by the senior students, and also that the students in the matching condition (seniors with the more expressive tool) would reveal higher retention effects. Although the data did not support the presumed differential effect between the two tools, secondary analyses brought up the assumption that abundant representation features as in Inspiration inhibit the factual learning and integration of new information; too much attention to the spatial layout of the concept map distracts the learners' attention from the subject matter itself.

Online publication date: Fri, 11-Dec-2009

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning (IJCEELL):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com