Structural Analysis of Factual, Conceptual, Procedural, and Metacognitive Knowledge in a Multidimensional Knowledge Network

Abstract

Discovering the most suitable network structure of the learning domain represents one of the main challenges of knowledge delivery and acquisition. We propose a multidimensional knowledge network (MKN) consisting of three components: multilayer network and its two projections. Each network layer constitutes factual, conceptual, procedural, or metacognitive knowledge within the domain of databases as a standard course of computer science study. In the MKN layer, nodes are concepts or knowledge units and the edges are weighted with regard to Bloom's cognitive learning level. The projected network layers are contrasted with a monolayer network by comparing characterizations of the centrality measures: degree centrality, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, and eccentricity. The study revealed indications of how concepts, supported with the higher number of previously introduced concepts, have a dominant role in knowledge acquisition, from a view of knowledge structure and content. The analysis of communities, assortativity coefficient, and overlap between MKN layers contributes to better structuring of knowledge. MKN enables systematic insights into the efficiency of knowledge integration across metacognitive layers, as well as the detection of crucial cognitive concepts that reduce/increase the cognitive load during learning.