Concept Maps for Web-Based Applications

The purpose of the project was to " conduct research and design concept maps about the knowledge base in higher education " and to " prototype these concept maps and the ways in which they may be used to help navigate and search Internet resources. " This Technical Report and demonstrations to ERIC staff are the primary deliverables. In addition, this research was funded to explore the value of concept mapping for ERIC as a method of bibliographic retrieval. The ERIC system is in the middle of extensive re-examination of its purposes, technology use, and success in meeting user needs. It is hoped that this discussion of the use of concept maps to navigate web resources will contribute to this larger dialogue and to the ERIC system. Methodology A thorough literature review was conducted of research studies about the use of concept maps generally and specifically in education. Competing methodologies for developing concept maps were compared and contrasted, with issues raised about conflicting terminology, definitions, and purposes for use. Primary streams of thought about concept maps were analyzed, such as instructional, evaluation, creativity, groupware, and qualitative research methods. Various procedures for developing maps were described. Assumptions were discussed about what makes a good concept map for facilitating Internet and print navigation. The resulting synthesis of research on concept maps is used to understand how to create better web navigation schemes. Another component of the methodology involved identifying, analyzing, and testing software for developing concept maps. How are these packages being used for navigating resources on the Internet? How may they be used to quickly and effectively build concept maps for postsecondary education websites? How does the software affect the researchers' and users' thinking about concept maps? These and other capabilities of the software were explored. Several concept map software packages were chosen for the next phase of the project, which involved developing actual concept maps. Through practice sessions, peer debriefing, and unstructured interview protocols, the researchers explored the use of concept mapping as a method for documenting the knowledge base of postsecondary 4 education. These maps were limited by necessity to the study of knowledge about college students. Navigation issues for utilizing the resulting concept maps were examined. Experiments with different concept mapping software were conducted to determine which package would best aid in the rapid development of a complex website. Graphics software such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, …