Propositional-level analysis of collaborative learning with kit-build concept map

Abstract

Typically, classroom practices in the collaborative learning context center around three distinguishable levels of activity: individual activities, group work, and whole-class discussion. It is important to identify and analyze the correlation between these levels to enable teachers to understand and improve the dynamics of students’ understanding in the context of collaborative learning. This study proposes a method based on the Kit-Build concept map (KBmap) to analyze the relation between individual activities and group work in the classroom. The KBmap is a type of close-ended concept map that provides decomposed concepts and links from the concept map made by a teacher. This mechanism enables teachers to assess students’ understanding, and facilitate the coordination of learning in the classroom. To evaluate the proposed method, a junior high school in Japan is used as case study.