The document describes a study that compares traditional concept maps, description-based representations, and refined concept maps (RCM) as tools for representing scientific knowledge for students. RCM uses a constrained set of relation names to link concepts. The study found that RCM facilitated more accurate expressions of relations than the other methods, suggesting it can help develop rigor in students' understanding of science without loss of knowledge. However, RCM was not significantly better than traditional concept maps for representing concepts.

1. Refined Concept Maps for Science Education:
A Feasibility Study
Meena Kharatmal
Nagarjuna G.
{meena,nagarjun}@hbcse.tifr.res.in
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education
(TIFR), Mumbai, India.
Jan 2009

2. outline
Traditional CM and Refined CM
●
Why RCM? (rigor in scientific
●
knowledge)
The study conducted
●
Results and Discussion
●
Implications for science education
●
Jan 2009 2

3. Traditional Refined
concept map concept map
Jan 2009 3

4. Traditional Refined
concept map concept map
Jan 2009 4

5. Traditional concept map Refined concept map
Jan 2009 5

6. Our approach
We assume that the meaning of a
●
concept emerges from its
neighbourhood based on the semantics
of the relations
Focus on linking words (relation
●
names)
Identify a minimal set of linking words
●
(relation names) to represent a given
domain
Jan 2009 6

7. 77c
Consists of
includes
6r
locates
bounds
surrouds
has function
Jan 2009 7

8. Why RCM
The knowledge depicted by RCM is shown
●
to be closer to that of experts
RCM can be used as a tool to develop
●
rigor (novice-experts) in scientific
knowledge
Because it is more affective for science
●
education
Roots of rigor (Kharatmal & Nagarjuna, 2008)
➔
Jan 2009 8

9. Some questions
Is RCM only for the experts?
●
Can RCM be used by the students as well?
●
If yes, in what way is RCM useful for students?
●
Does the constraint method of RCM hinder the
●
scientific knowledge?
Is there any loss of knowledge due to
●
refinements?
Can constraints serve as facilitator or a means
●
for a novice to become an expert?
Can RCM be feasible for students in classroom
●
learning?
Jan 2009 9

10. The study
3 modes of representations:
●
DES; TCM; RCM
●
3 homogenous group
●
n=32; n=30; n=30
●
Age : 13-14 years, IX std., mixed
●
gender
School : Local school in Mumbai
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Domain : 'Structure of nucleus' and
●
'Structure of mitochondria' (The
Fundamental Unit of Life, NCERT)
Jan 2009 10

11. Tasks for each groups
DES
●
To write simple sentences :
–
Describe the structure of nucleus
●
Describe the structure of mitochondria
●
TCM
●
Familiarization of Concept maps.
–
Draw concept maps on:
–
Structure of nucleus
●
Structure of mitochondria
●
Seed concepts provided
–
Jan 2009 11

12. Tasks for each groups
RCM
●
Familiarization of concept maps
–
Draw refined concept maps on:
–
Structure of nucleus
●
Structure of mitochondria
●
Seed concepts and seed relation names
–
provided (constraint method)
The chapter was already taught in the school
✔
The chapter was read out before the activity for all the three groups
✔
Jan 2009 12

13. List of Relation names
Spatial­inclusion
Part­Whole ●
●
Surrounded by
Consists of / part of –
–
Enveloped by
Composed of –
–
Located in
Contains –
–
Function
Class­inclusion ●
●
Has function
Includes –
–
Attributes
Examples ●
●
Has nature, property
Example –
–
Has size, shape, color
Instance of –
–
Jan 2009 13

14. Criterion map
Jan 2009 14

15. Criterion map
Jan 2009 15

16. Analysis
Concepts (non­redundant) and relations (valid)
●
were scored (for all the 3 modes)
Scoring based on the choice of relation names
●
Comparison with a criterion map (as a control,
●
based on the textbook)
Scoring is proportional to their understanding
●
Statistical tests – ANOVA and T­Test
●
Jan 2009 16

17. Jan 2009 17

18. Discussion
What way does rcm affect the
representation of scientific knowledge?
more number of accurate expressions, less
●
number of incorrect relations
Jan 2009 18

19. Average of raw score
D­N­C T­N­C R­N­C D: Description
11 9 11 T-Traditional Concept Maps
R-Refined Concept Maps
D­N­R T­N­R R­N­R N: Nucleus
7 7 9 M: Mitochorndria
The avg score for
●
C: Concepts
concepts is similar (not
D­M­C T­M­C R­M­C R: Relations
less) which suggests that
11 9 10
there is no loss in the
D­M­R T­M­R R­M­R
number of critical
6 7 8
concepts in RCM
N=32 N=30 N=30
The avg score for relations is more in number
●
in the RCM method which suggests that even
with the constraints applied the RCM
facilitates in depicting more number of
accurate expressions than with the other two
modes
Jan 2009 19

20. Discussion
Does the constraint method of RCM
●
hinder the scientific knowledge?
Is there any loss of knowledge due to
●
the constraints ?
Jan 2009 20

21. ANOVA
Domain Mode N Mean SD Variance SS DF MS F
DES 32 10.88 2.85 8.11 34.29 2 17.14
Nucleus ­­­
TCM 30 9.43 2.16 4.67 574.37 89 6.45 2.66
Concepts
RCM 30 10.5 2.54 6.47 608.65 91
DES 32 6.78 2.01 4.05 97.5 2 48.75
Nucleus ­­­
TCM 30 7.37 2.11 4.45 529.24 89 5.95 8.20 *
Relations
RCM 30 9.2 3.08 9.48 626.74 91
DES 32 11.31 2.81 7.9 70.85 2 35.42
Mitochondria
TCM 30 9.23 3.18 10.12 763.71 89 8.58 4.13 *
­­­ Concepts
RCM 30 9.87 2.79 7.77 834.55 91
DES 32 6.09 1.57 2.47 50.71 2 25.36
Mitochondria
TCM 30 7.07 3.06 9.37 501.29 89 5.63 4.50 *
­­­ Relations
RCM 30 7.9 2.29 5.27 552 91
* p < 0.05; F Critical = 3.10
Null Hypothesis: There is no change in the number of concepts
and number of valid relations in any of the three groups
Jan 2009 21

22. T­test
Domain Mode N Mean S.D. t
DES 32 10.88 2.85
2.25 *
TCM 30 9.43 2.16
Nucleus ­­­ TCM 30 9.43 2.16
1.75
Concepts RCM 30 10.5 2.54
DES 32 10.88 2.85
0.54
Null Hypothesis: RCM 30 10.5 2.54
There is no change DES 32 6.78 2.01
1.11
in the number of TCM 30 7.37 2.11
concepts and TCM 30 7.37 2.11
Nucleus ­­­
2.6 *
number of valid RCM 30 9.2 3.08
Relations
relations in any of DES 32 6.78 2.01
3.6 *
the two groups RCM 30 9.2 3.08
DES 32 11.31 2.81
2.72 *
TCM 30 9.23 3.18
TCM 30 9.23 3.18
Mitochondria ­­­
0.8
Concepts RCM 30 7.77 2.79
DES 32 11.31 2.81
2.03 *
RCM 30 7.77 2.79
DES 32 6.09 1.57
1.55
TCM 30 7.07 3.06
TCM 30 7.07 3.06
Mitochondria ­­­
1.19
Relations RCM 30 7.9 2.29
DES 32 6.09 1.57
3.59 *
RCM 30 7.9 2.29
* p < 0.05; t Critical = 2.00
Jan 2009 22

23. RCM was found RCM was found to
● ●
to be significant: be non-significant:
Relations Concepts
● ●
● Nuclues ● Nucleus
● Mitochondria
● Concepts
● Mitochondria
Jan 2009 23

24. Description mode (30)
Is in the, is a, are, has a, contains, consists of, is made up
●
of;
Are classified as
●
Is bound by, is surrounded by, situated at
●
Is present in, is found in the, lies in the,
●
Gives, plays a role, uses the, helps in, protects, provides,
●
helps to carry, allows, is responsible for, are used to make,
controls all the
­­
●
Is called, are known as, is concerned with, occupies
●
Jan 2009 24

25. Traditional Concept Map mode (47)
Are, consists of, contains, have, it has, made up of, can, is,
●
are composed of, are visible as, comprise of, it is
Is divided into, are of two types, includes
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Covered with
●
Found in, present in, found as,
●
Helps in, store, gives information, can be done by, helps
●
through, passes the, provides, stores, allows, prevents,
gives, used by, produces, used for making, makes,
produces, transforms
Example
●
Is known as, have their own, full form is, also called
●
Jan 2009 25

26. Refined Concept Map mode (7)
Consists of / part of
●
Includes / divides into
●
Surrounded by
●
Located in
●
Has function
●
Example
●
Is known as
●
Jan 2009 26

27. When students were free to use any relation names,
●
quite a few misconceptions and idiosyncratic ideas were
observed such as:
“if the nucleus is removed, the protoplasm dries up and the cell dies”;
“if mitochondria is removed from the cell, it will not get energy
and will dry & die”;
“nucleus contains membrane bound structure called chromatin”;
When the students were provided with the relation
●
names, the students depicted knowledge as accurate as
possible; statements were more close to the scientific
representation ---
“nucleus is surrounded by nuclear membrane”
“mitochondria contains DNA, ribosomes”
“chromosomes are made of DNA, proteins”
Jan 2009 27

28. Conclusion
RCM tool was compared with other modes of representation
●
with a homogenous sample and similar tasks
RCM did not affect the representation of critical concepts
●
RCM does affect the representation of valid relations
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(positively)
No difficulty in retrieving and eliciting of knowledge while
●
using RCM
No loss of knowledge with RCM
●
RCM helps in expression of accurate knowledge; & lessens
●
the inaccurate expressions
The relation names served as facilitator and anchoring
●
device (Ausubel)
Jan 2009 28

29. RCM and its implications for
science education
Jan 2009 29

30. RCM as a means for a novice on the way of expert
Profile of Novice Profile of Expert
Knowledge loose form, uneconomical, cohesive, integrated, parsimony,
Structure ambiguous relations unambiguous relations
Knowledge periphery core concepts
Organized
Refined Concept Maps
Approach superficial principled, accurate, deep
Theories concrete, fragmentary, abstract, global, consistent,
inconsistent, particular, diffuse universal, precise
Reasoning implicit and intuitive explicit and articulate
Networking poor in interconnetions rich in interconnections
focus on concepts focus on relations
repetitive refinements
Jan 2009 30

31. Our hypothesis on conceptual change during the
cognitive development of a novice into an expert
Conceptual change happens due to re­writing the relationa
●
names (i.e. linking words), and not due to re­writing of the
concept names
The number of relation names used decrease progressively
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The same relation names are consistently used thereby
●
eliminating ambiguity
The number of relation names required for a formal
●
representation in a given domain are not only finite but are few
The lesser the relation names, the greater is the formal
●
representation
Roots of rigor (Kharatmal & Nagarjuna, 2008)
➔
Jan 2009 31

32. RCM influenced by
Knowledge
Piaget ●
●
Representation
formal learning
–
Karmiloff-Smith RO, OBO, GO, MBO
●
–
explicit learning
–
formally defined
●
representational-
–
relation names
redescription
Semantic Network
●
Mack & Robinson
●
Concept Maps
repetitive
– ●
refinements
Object Process
●
Cooke
●
Modelling
focus on relations
–
Jan 2009 32

33. RCM and Conceptual Change models
RCM
●
Ausubel
●
refinements in the relation
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subsumption
●
names
Carey
●
using a lesser number of
●
relation names
accretion
●
during the course of
●
subsumption
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development process,
knowledge gets added with
Mintzes
●
more of nodes but with just a
strong few relation names
●
restructuring as the knowledge gets
●
represented in more formal
terms, the relation names
decrease progressively
Jan 2009 33

34. Claim of RCM for science education
during the course of development process,
➢
knowledge gets added with just a few relation
names but with more of nodes
as the knowledge gets represented in more formal
➢
terms, the relation names decrease progressively
thus effectively all the nodes are handled by
➢
minimal relation names
parsimony therefore can be redefined in terms of
➢
relation names
Jan 2009 34

35. References
Ausubel, Cooke, Karmiloff­Smith, Kremer,
●
Kharatmal & Nagarjuna, Mack & Robinson,
Mintzes, Novak, OBO, RO, Sowa
Full reference list available in the paper
●
Jan 2009 35

36. Thankyou
meena@hbcse.tifr.res.in
nagarjun@gnowledge.org
http://okeanos.wordpress.com/publications
Jan 2009 36

37. Jan 2009 37

38. Jan 2009 38

39. Comparison of students' and expert's
knowledge (relation names)
Dimensions Students Expert
nucleus is comprised of DNA
nucleus consists of DNA
nucleus contains DNA
nuclues has DNA present inside contain
nuclei
Part-whole nucleus has DNA DNA
nucleus contains chromatin
chromatin is present inside the
nucleus
chromatin is inside the nucleus DNA is present in
nucleus consists of genetic material chromatin
Jan 2009 39

40. Dimensions Students Expert
mitochondria is a
double­layered cell
organelle
mitochondria is a
double layered
organelle
mitochondria is a
cylinder shaped the inner membrane
important organelle divides the
mitochondria is a mitochondrion into
cell organelle which two chambers or
is double layered compartments­outer
Class-inclusion membrane and inner chamber
Jan 2009 40

41. Dimensions Students Expert
nucleus contains
chromosome
which are visible
as rod shpaed
objects
nucleus contains
entangled mass nucleoli can be
called observed inside
chromosomes the nucleus
which become chromatin
rod-like structures associated with
when the cell is nucleolus;
Spatial­inclusion about to divide nucleoplasm
Jan 2009 41