Understanding Sub-Steps using Concept mapping
Programs.
Concept Mapping works for Divergent and Linear
Thinkers
I am a divergent thinker which means one idea
generates many ideas, some related, and some way out of line. Using a mapping
program gives me tighter control on the creative process. For linear
thinkers, a mapping program prods from known to unknown.
For a student who just misses the whole thing,
you start with what is known, and carefully examine what can go with it, and
what is not related. Whenever Reid had a school project he was utterly incapable
of seeing the necessary sub steps which his teachers considered a symptom of
laziness.
Universities seem to be encouraging short
efficient essays, a concept map is a valuable tool to get to the right points
for the hypothesis and conclusion. If you only have a page, your language must
be accurate, and you don't have space to flow on about something else.
Fascinating Work in Concept-Mapping
I read about the work being done at the University of Institute for Human
and Machine Cognition - University of West Florida on c-maps, and learned that
you can download the c map tool and software for free, and become part of the interconnectiveness
of human minds. http://cmap.ihmc.us/
On Tue, 6 Jul
2004 07:58:25 -0500
>Hi, >I am the writer and webmaster for
http://www.hardofheaingchildren.com a web for people interested in
helping hard of hearing children. Often these kids are missing a lot in
language, and life because they simply don\''t hear it. I used Inspiration
for my own child, and wrote this web originally in Inspiration. >I would like to feature your mapping program for my
web asap. >As a librarian myself who was titillated by the
organization of human knowledge, I have enjoyed poking around your site,
what you are doing is a expansion of Cutters work, which drove him insane
in the last attempt, and no-one else in the world could take over, if
Cutter had had your program, Dewey woud not have got a job. >Please let me know if I may use your web in my web. >Thanks. >PAM
Of course you can feature our software, CmapTools, and our website,
http://cmap.ihmc.us/,
in your website.
We would like to know the URL where you feature us.
Please let me know if I can help further...
Sincerely,
CmapSupport
At the University of Institute for Human
and Machine Cognition - University of West Florida
Part of Developing language
actual "word"
Comment
1
phoneme
"cooga
When my kids were 6 months old, they were
included in the cooga making with an opportunity to stir the mix, and later to
lick or chew on the mixing spoon. Perhaps they experienced making coogas when
they heard or said the word, or perhaps not. Food is a very strong motivation
for learning. I think eating is stronger than speaking, because you can
still eat when you can't talk.
What is involved in that
simple sentence. If you know how to make cookies by some of this
and some of that, you will be successful some of the time. What if you could
not read? What if you had no idea where the kitchen stuff is?
C-Mapping the Making of Cookies
I have had fun examining the concept of making
cookies using a c-map process. I have only allowed my divergent brain to play
humorously with the Alternatives, and thought about the humour which the hard
of hearing child misses out on because they are not aware of the alternative
meanings to the same word, and they are already running fast and getting tired
dealing with the first meaning.. It has taken research to establish every tool needed,
or every ingredient. I am learning to use this program, so I did not get too
fancy with html clicks, which you can do.
Think about the Gaps the HOH child and the LD
child Encounters
What I want you to think about is the gaps which
we presume to not exist. Putting some hohkids in the kitchen to make chocolate
chip cookies by themselves, which they might have made before with a mentor,
many many times, is difficult for them because of all the complexities of
finding the cookbook, finding the recipe, finding the ingredients, and finding
the equipment. For those with dyscalculia, fractions are almost
meaningless. The straw which ruined the whole thing was the recipe's requirement
for 1/2 lb butter because the butter was in a margarine container and not
in quarter pound sticks.
But whether you are missing language, or math or
the general idea of what to do, the booby traps which lead to not making
cookies, stem from the inability to cope with the sub-steps. These same
booby-traps raise their evil heads for many projects from homework to cleaning
up the room.
The new term at school is coming up. If you get
yourself a copy of this program, you can play with it, and probably be pretty
good by school. You can use this to help the hard of hearing child to see the
links, similairities and divergent ideas too, in language development, and
especially for those projects.
I thank the c-map developers at
the University of Institute for Human and Machine Cognition - University of West
Florida
for their work, and sharing with anyone who
can use it.
