Hypermedia environment for learning concepts based on inter-domain analogies as an educational strategy

Abstract

Analogies are recognized as one possible teaching strategy for facilitating acquisition of concepts. We consider in our work analogy between semantically separate domains (inter-domain analogy), and we also consider analogy as a metacognitive tool: learning activities are based on analogies and they are explained. This use of analogy is rarely found in computer based learning environments. We propose an innovative environment which is based on analogy as an educational strategy, and also on two other elements which support learning activities: concept maps and hypermedia. A first application in the field of computer networks was designed and evaluated with students, and one of the results is the importance of creation of analogies by students.