Learning, Pedagogical Thinking and Collaborative Knowledge Building by Cmaptools

We are reporting research on collaborative knowledge building compared to individual conceptual change during a professional study unit in Laurea University of Applied Sciences. As educational research that is a design experiment, a multicase, multi-method study. We used both individual and collaborative concept mapping in the same design experiment. The theme of the design experiment was ‘Coping at Home’. In the competence based curriculum it was a research project as a learning environment. The core concept of the research project and study unit Physiotherapy of the elderly was ‘successful ageing’. The subjects were Bachelor of Health Care students in Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland. We monitored both individual and collaborative learning and knowledge building related to this concept. The focus of the study was professional and generic competence, especially the reflective competence of physiotherapy students. Students’ conceptions developed greatly. Collaborative knowledge building was meaningful for the individual conceptual change. There were seen both cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives. The discussion during the concept mapping process was like a shared thinking process. Students continued each others talking and thinking very fluently like they had had “common brains”. It took lot of conversations and many speech acts before the common understanding was created. After collaborative interactions, multidisciplinary concrete links were made between all concepts almost in all individual concept maps and interconnectedness of concepts in different subject areas was understood. Concepts in these individual concept maps were also more at the same time more theoretical and practical than in previous concept maps of these subjects. Also the wider context of the concepts was recognized in many individual concept maps. Students’ conceptual frameworks developed from novice level to more advanced expert level. According to students the research project as a learning environment was interesting and useful. They attained new knowledge, skills and attitude and new perspective to their professional knowledge.