Title: Cognitive visualisations and the design of learning technologies

Authors: Michael J. Jacobson

Addresses: Korea University, 1, 5Ga, Anam-Dong, SungBuk-ku, Seoul, 136-701, Korea ' ' '

Abstract: This paper discusses cognitive visualisations as a design approach in which the affordances of currently available learning technologies are used to reify or make explicit mental representations about conceptually challenging knowledge. Conceptual visualisations are intended to help learners develop understandings of a domain through dynamic visual representations that are based on cognitive research into the nature of cognitive frameworks or mental models, in particular, models with the main characteristic of naive or intuitive ideas and of expert understandings. A rationale for cognitive visualisations is presented, followed by a discussion of two examples of cognitive visualizations in contrasting domains that were developed using different implementing technologies. A set of issues for future research in this area is also considered.

Keywords: design of learning technologies; cognition and learning; knowledge representation; mental models; visualisations; agent-based modelling; conceptual change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2004.003681

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2004 Vol.1 No.1, pp.40 - 62

Published online: 06 Nov 2003 *

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