How Students Read Concept Maps: A Study of Eye Movements (original) (raw)
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In this paper, we will be carrying out an in-depth analysis of a series of investigations involving concept maps used in eye tracking methodology. Firstly, the background to this kind of research is analyzed: on the one hand we will focus on generic scientific literature about those concept maps with theoretical foundations in the psychology of learning, and secondly the literature of eye tracking in teaching and learning will be reviewed. Finally, we will centre our attention on the way these genres tend to overlap. A total of 15 published works on concept maps using eye tracking were located and subsequently the quality of these papers, their visibility, topics and results was analyzed. The findings show that there are very few published works on this subject, originating from disperse sources which proved difficult to locate, despite the fact that eye tracking methodology lends itself perfectly to the study of concept maps. We predict that in coming years there will be many more publications in this field.
Investigating learning with a navigable concept map
2008
Navigable concept maps are a type of graphical overview and a relatively new learning tool that may serve several interrelated functions while learners study online: as a graphic organizer, navigational tool, pathway indicator, actual material-to-belearned, and a means to self-monitor and review during studying and at the end of a study period. Few studies have examined navigable concept maps, although many studies have investigated different types of organizers with varied learner control.
Cognitive analysis of experts’ and novices’ concept mapping processes: An eye tracking study
Computers in Human Behavior, 2014
The goal of this study was to explore how designated experts (subject experts with extensive experience in science education and concept mapping) and novices (pre-service teachers) establish concept map (CM) development processes while considering their cognitive processes. Two experiments were conducted in which eye-tracking, written, and verbal data were collected from 29 novices and 6 subject matter experts. The results showed that despite some similar strategies, novices and experts followed different patterns during the CM development process. Both experts and novices embraced deductive reasoning and preferred hierarchical type CMs. Additional points studied during the process include filling out requested information in different orders, branch construction pattern, content richness and progress pattern. Furthermore, eye behavior patterns also differed among experts and novices. Expert participants differed from novices in all eye behavior metrics (fixation count, fixation and visit duration for specific actions). Novices' fixation count (FC) numbers were higher than the experts' during the entire process and in specific periods. In conclusion, these pattern differences affect the CM development process directly. Considering the patterns revealed in the study may help instructors guide learners more adequately and effectively.
Learning from Concept-Mapping and Hypertext: an eye tracking study
This study examined the effects of prior domain knowledge and learning sequences on learning with concept mapping and hypertext. Participants either made a concept map in a first step and then read the hypertext's contents combined with concept mapping (high activating condition), or they read the hypertext's contents first and then made a concept map and re-read the hypertext's contents (low activating condition). It was hypothesized that the low activating condition would support better learning of relations between concepts for low prior knowledge participants who would need information from hypertext first to efficiently build a map next. For high prior knowledge participants, it was expected that the high activating condition would increase prior knowledge activation that would improve learning by promoting germane cognitive load, or at least would help participants to cope with the cognitive demands of the learning task by reducing extraneous cognitive load. The results confirmed that the low activating condition fostered better learning of relations between the concepts than the high activating condition, regardless of the level of prior knowledge. However, concept mapping behaviors and eye movement data showed that prior knowledge reduced disorientation, improved navigation coherence, and supported better elaboration of semantic relations between the concepts before reading the texts.
2003
Concept maps, a specific kind of mental model, are one method of representing and measuring an individual’s knowledge. They are an alternative tool for teaching through building relevant associations, as well as 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...
The purpose of this study was comparing effectiveness of methods of presentation of concept maps and methods of concept mapping on reading comprehension. The subjects of this study consisted of 66 third-year high school students (33 female, 33 male), that were selected randomly by multistage sampling method. Participants were randomly assigned to three treatment groups and one control group. The research instruments were: 1) experimental texts, 2) comprehension test, and 3) Camp Tools software, and 4) Teacher-generated concept maps. Treatment groups included computer-based concept mapping, paper-pencils concept mapping, and reading text with prepared concept maps. The control group for the study did not receive any concept map. The results of this study indicated that presentation of per-prepared concept maps significantly improved comprehension, compared to the map generation and control group. But paper-pencil and computer-based concept mapping compared to the control groups were not statistically significant. The best way for use of concept maps is teacher-generated concept maps with texts.
The Use of Concept Maps to Illustrate Understanding in a Standard Reading Exercise
2014
The benefits of a standard reading exercise (SRE), in which students regularly answer the same set of questions by applying them to a variety of different texts, were first explored by Scott et al. (1984). The Foundational Literacies Advanced Stream curriculum design project at Kanda University decided to experiment with such an exercise, as it is felt that introducing students to a range of different texts can be a useful method of learner empowerment. In particular, the second section of the SRE is of interest. This section allows students the freedom to create a 'concept map' that demonstrates their understanding of the organisation of ideas, the author's purpose in writing, and the tone of the text. An example framework is given, but learners have total freedom (e.g. digital or paper-based, use of written language or pictures) to write or draw whatever they wish to demonstrate their understanding of the text. This paper looks at the semiotic work conducted by students in creating these maps in relation to the 'affordances' idea: what does the use of non-linear text afford the student that linear text does not, and vice-versa? The paper hopes to be of benefit to anyone teaching reading classes, particularly those who have an interest in Multiliteracies pedagogy.
Influences of Concept Mapping and Learning Styles on Learning
2000
Concept mapping is a technique for visually representing the structure of information, concepts, and the relationships between them. Concept maps are useful tools that help students learn about how they structure knowledge while supporting the process of knowledge construction or metaknowledge. This paper discusses the effect of concept mapping with different levels of knowledge to assist those with different learning styles. Discussion is as follows. After a brief definition of concept mapping in learning, the two broad classes of learning/cognitive styles-field dependent and field independent-are outlined. Discussion then moves to Ausubel's (1963) Meaningful Learning Theory, and how concept maps can foster meaningful learning. Next, a definition is provided of the principles of Component Display Theory (CDT), which is concerned with teaching individual concepts or principles, and classifies learning along two dimensions: content (facts, concepts, procedures, and principles) and performance (remembering, using, and generalities). Finally, a study on the effects of concept mapping on learning is briefly discussed. (Contains 10 references.) (AEF) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
What Matters in Concept Mapping? Maps Learners Create or How They Create Them
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2017
Generative strategies, where learners process the target content while connecting different concepts to build a knowledge network, has shown potential to improve student learning outcomes. While concept maps in particular have been linked to the development of generative strategies, few studies have explored structuring the concept mapping process to support generative strategies, and few studies offer intelligent support. In this work, we present a concept mapping tool that offers navigational support in the form of hyperlinks, where nodes in the concept map are linked to segments of text. We evaluate the effect of the hyperlinks on generative strategies and learning outcomes through a week-long high school study with 32 participants. Our results indicate that proper navigational and visual aid during concept mapping facilitates the development of generative strategies, with implications for learning outcomes. Based on these findings, we propose a constraint-based tutoring system to adaptively support the development of generative strategies in concept mapping.
Studying and Constructing Concept Maps: a Meta-Analysis
Educational Psychology Review, 2017
A concept map is a node-link diagram in which each node represents a concept and each link identifies the relationship between the two concepts it connects. We investigated how using concept maps influences learning by synthesizing the results of 142 independent effect sizes (n = 11,814). A random-effects model meta-analysis revealed that learning with concept and knowledge maps produced a moderate, statistically significant effect (g = .58, p < .001). A moderator analysis revealed that creating concept maps (g = .72, p < .001) was associated with greater benefit relative to respective comparison conditions than studying concept maps (g = .43, p <.001). Additional moderator analyses indicated learning with concept maps was superior to other instructional comparison conditions, and was effective across science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and non-STEM knowledge domains. Further moderator analyses, as well as implications for theory and practice, are provided.