ISM-CMAP-Combine (ICMC) for hierarchical knowledge scenario in quality engineering education

Quality assurance in engineering education is a multifaceted problem further augmented by the stakeholders of engineering education. Students, parents and employers are rightfully questioning the quality of the curriculum, the instructional delivery, the learning environment, accessibility to learning technologies and equipment, employability as well as the possibilities of lifelong learning and the improvement of knowledge (Karapetrovic 2002 Karapetrovic, S. 2002. Why and how to develop a meaningful quality assurance system in engineering schools. Int. J. Engg. Educ, 18(3): 285–294. [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]). The purpose of the study is, therefore, to identify the parameters that influence the quality of an engineering education system and develop an integrated model of hierarchical structuring and a concept map for pre-identified concept elements through a process of iterative-interactive consensus-driven methodology, as advocated by second-generation system design paradigm for evolving knowledge scenario of concepts related to quality engineering education.     

The relationship between task structure and collaborative group interactions in a synchronous peer interaction collaborative learning environment for a course of Physics

Although collaborative group work is used by many instructors as a useful educational tool, there is much room for research on how learning actually occurs within collaborative learning environments. This paper attempts to explore the relationship(if any) between task structure and collaborative group interactions in a synchronous peer interaction collaborative learning environment. For this reason, we used the Cmap during a Physics course for Grade 12 students. This paper compares two groups of students, one studying concept maps with single answer task, and the other studying concept maps with variable answer task. The aim of the study presented in this article is to also investigate the influence of task structure on students’ interactivity according to certain indicators and cognitive performance.