Ecological Strategies and Knowledge Mapping

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the concept of ecological strategy in relation to cognitive artefacts that reflect the expressive power of learners engaged in the development of significant knowledge paths. Our experiments show that learners strive to make sense of the fragmentary information surrounding them and in this endeavour they may benefit from the creation of knowledge maps, i.e. branched structures of knowledge that depart from a central node, a starting point or a homepage. In the course of creating these fractal hyperspaces on the Web, with integration of varied multimedia materials, the range of cognitive strategies used during the learning process becomes evident, both at individual and collective level. Perhaps ecological strategies may encourage a new research approach regarding the study of knowledge construction within complex hypermedia environments. © Springer-Verlag 2004.