Cognitive Maps and Questorming

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• Cognitive Maps and Questorming
• Prof. Leonel Tractenberg
• E-mai leoneltractenberg_at_gmail.com
• EBAPE/FGV y LTC/NUTES/UFRJRio de Janeiro,
  Brasil
• Visiting ScholarUniversidad de Barcelona y
  Universidade de Coimbra
• Enero, 2008

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What is a Cognitive Map?

• Some definitions
• Jonassen et al. (1997)
• Spatial representations of concepts and their
  relationships.
• Watters Zhou (1999)
• Visual language for representing and
  communicating knowledge within a community.

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What is a Cognitive Map?
(source Milam et al., 200110)
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What is a Cognitive Map?
(source Milam et al., 200110)
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What is it for?

• Some utilities of cognitive maps
• Accessing own cognitive structures/
  representations
• Brainstorming, creating and communicating ideas
• Studying and reviewing concepts
• Maps as teaching / learning / assessing tools
• Hypermedia design
• Qualitative research
• Collaboration / project teamwork
• Organizing files
• Etc.

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Example of Concept Map
(source Stoyanov Kommers., 20063)
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Example of Mind Map
(Source www.mind-mapping.co.uk)
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Maps using Compendium (http//compendium.open.ac
.uk/institute/)
(Source Okada Shum, 2006)
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Maps using Compendium
Source http//compendium.open.ac.uk/institute//im
ages/nasa3.jpg
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Tips for creating Cognitive Maps

• Tony Buzan suggestions for creating Mind Maps
• Start in the center with an image of the topic,
  using at least 3 colors.
• Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions
  throughout your Mind Map.
• Select key words and print using upper or lower
  case letters.
• Each word/image must be alone and sitting on its
  own line.
• The lines must be connected, starting from the
  central image. The central lines are thicker,
  organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they
  radiate out from the centre.
• Make the lines the same length as the word/image.
  
• Use colors your own code throughout the Mind
  Map.
• Develop your own personal style of Mind Mapping.
• Use emphasis and show associations in your Mind
  Map.
• Keep the Mind Map clear by using radial
  hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace
  your branches.

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(Source www.mind-mapping.co.uk)
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Some tips for creating cognitive maps
(source Milam et al., 200117)
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Questorming and Concept Maps

• Some questions may be helpful to expand a concept
  map
• What are all the different kinds of ___?
• What are all the ways to ___?
• What are all the parts of ___?
• What are all the reasons for ___?
• What are all the uses for ___?
• What are all the stages in ___?
• Is ___ a type of ___?
• Which concepts are alike and which are different?
• (Spradley, 1979 apud Milam et al., 2001)
• Here is where QUESTORMING can be very useful!

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Brainstorming

• Brainstorming a conference technique by which a
  group attempts to find a solution for a specific
  problem by amassing all the ideas spontaneously
  by its members (Alex Osborn)
• Some applications
• Mental warming up
• Creativity and idea generation
• Individual and group problem solving
• Learning and assessment

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Brainstorming

• A typical Brainstorming session
• A warm-up session, to expose novice participants
  to the criticism-free environment. ()
• The chairman presents the problem and gives a
  further explanation if needed.
• The chairman asks the brainstorming panel for
  their ideas.
• If no ideas are coming out, the chairman suggests
  a lead to encourage creativity.
• Every participant presents his or her idea, and
  the idea collector records them.
• If more than one participant has ideas, the
  chairman lets the most associated idea be
  presented first. ()
• The participants try to elaborate on the idea, to
  improve the quality.
• When time is up, the chairman organizes the ideas
  based on the topic goal and encourages
  discussion. Additional ideas may be generated.
• Ideas are categorized.
• The whole list is reviewed to ensure that
  everyone understands the ideas. Duplicate ideas
  and obviously infeasible solutions are removed.
• The chairman thanks all participants and gives
  each a token of appreciation.
• (Source http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstormin
  gOutline_of_the_method)

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Questorming

• Questorming a technique by which a group
  attempts to raise as many different questions and
  problems about some predetermined issue in order
  to open a great quantity of paths for further
  investigation.
• It surpasses the 6 Ws technique (who, what,
  where, when, why and how) because it generates a
  greater number of more ingenuous and specific
  questions.
• The dynamic is similar to a Brainstorming
  session, but only questions and problems for
  further investigation are allowed and registered
  (answers and opinions are discarded).

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Questorming Cognitive Mapping
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Websites

• Compendium
• http//compendium.open.ac.uk/institute/
• Mind Mapping
• www.mind-mapping.co.uk
• Brainstorming
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrainstormingOutline
  _of_the_method
• Questorming
• http//www.pynthan.com/vri/questorm.htm

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References

• Buzan, T. (1991). The Mind Map Book. New York
  Penguin.
• Milam, J. Santo, S.A. Heaton, L.A. (2001)
  Concept Maps for Web-Based Applications. ERIC
  Technical Report.. 75p. Disponible en
  http//www.highered.org/docs/milam-conceptmaps.PDF
  
• Stoyanov, S. Kommers, P. (2006). WWW-intensive
  concept mapping for metacognition in solving
  ill-structured problems. Int. J. Cont.
  Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning,
  v.16, n.3/4. Disponible en http//www.ou.nl/Docs/
  Expertise/OTEC/Publicaties/slavi20stoyanov/1020S
  toyanov1.pdf