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Session 1330

Enhancing Conceptual Understanding With Concept Maps and Concept Questions

David L. Darmofal, Diane H. Soderholm, Doris R. Brodeur Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Abstract Conceptual understanding is the ability to apply knowledge across a variety of instances or circumstances. It differs from declarative knowledge learning in that declarative knowledge involves a memorization of an association between two or more entities. Conceptual understanding involves the ability to apply knowledge across a variety of previously unencountered instances. 1 Conceptual understanding is considered lasting if the concept represents a "big idea" having lasting value beyond the classroom, resides at the heart of the discipline, requires uncoverage of misconceptions, and offers the potential to engage students.2

Several strategies can be used to teach and assess concepts, e.g., inquiry, exposition, analogies, mnemonics, imagery, concept maps, and concept questions. This paper focuses on the last two -- concept maps and concept questions. Concept maps are two - dimensional, hierarchical diagrams that show the structure of knowledge within a discipline. They are composed of concept labels, each enclosed in a box or oval, a series of labeled linking lines and general-to-specific organization. 3-4 Concept questions focus on a single concept, are not solvable by relying solely on equations, reveal common difficulties with the concepts, and have several plausible answers based on typical student misunderstandings. 5-6 This paper describes current progress at MIT in the development and use of concept maps and concept questions in aerospace engineering.

Introduction The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is engaged in a number of educational initiatives to reform its educational programs. To achieve its program goals, the department has designed a curriculum that parallels the context of the life cycle of an engineering system, i.e., the Conception, Design, Implementation, and Operation (CDIO) of engineering systems shapes the content, scope, and sequence of the undergraduate curriculum. At the same time, the department is investigating the findings of educational research to improve faculty's ability to guide student learning, with the goal of applying best practices in teaching and learning to engineering education.

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright Ó 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Greitzer, E., & Soderholm, D. H., & Darmofal, D., & Brodeur, D. (2002, June), Enhancing Conceptual Understanding With Concept Maps And Concept Questions Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--11019