This paper presents an English upgrading course authoring environment for multiple authors collaborating via a distance education system. The course authoring follows a rigorous object-oriented structure, which allows easy search and retrieval functions for both the authoring and the learning environment counterpart. Moreover, authoring is supported by the concept mapping paradigm, where in our...

It is well known that meaningful knowledge of statistics involves more than simple factual or procedural knowledge of statistics. For an intelligent use of statistics, conceptual understanding of the underlying theory is essential. As conceptual understanding is usually defined as the ability to perceive links and connections between important concepts that may be hierarchically organized, rese...

This study examines concept mapping as a follow-up study strategy for learning from text. Based on a task analysis of the sub-tasks learners must accomplish during mapping, we developed the following support measures: Participants (N = 102) either generated a map (1) from scratch (map-generation), (2) from a list of concepts (concepts-provided), (3) from spatially arranged concepts (concepts-ar...

According to the modal view, essence admits of reductive analysis in exclusively modal terms. Fine (1994) argues that modal view delivers an inadequate analysis of essence. This paper defends the modal view from Fine’s challenge. This defense proceeds by examining the disagreement between Finean primitivists and Quinean eliminativists about essence. In order to model this disagreement, a distin...

In order to design information retrieval (IR) learning environments and instruction, it is important to explore learning outcomes of different pedagogical solutions. Learning outcomes have seldom been evaluated in IR instruction. The particular focus of this study is the assessment of learning outcomes in an experimental, but naturalistic, learning environment compared to more traditional instr...

Visualization of the learning processes is a powerful way to help students to understand their curricula and the structure behind them. CME2 is a prototype software of this favourable concept, visualizing the learning process as a graph. With this tool students and teachers can easily handle and plan their personal curricula in larger scale and see the connections between different courses. The...

Despite some inevitable disadvantages – like the cost of setting up and maintaining all the components of a network – the learning community is working toward understanding the basic principles behind online learning. These principles should be found within the domains of place design and educational taxonomies. Design principles can be applied in conjunction with educational principles to prod...

Involvement is an important mediating factor in judgements concerning user experience. Concept mapping was used to further understand and define the construct of involvement within the context of watching television.

The study reported in this paper developed and evaluated a web-based concept map testing system for science students. Thirty-eight Taiwanese high school students were involved and it was found that their performance on the system was not significantly related to their achievement as measured by traditional standard tests. Their views about the use of the system, in general, were positive. An an...