Collaboration through concept maps

TL;DR: The design and applications of groupware con­ cept mapping tools designed to support collaboration in dispersed learning communities are scribed.

Abstract: Concept maps have been used in education, policy studies and the philosophy of science to provide a vi­ sual representation of knowledge structures and argu­ ment forms. They provide a complementary alternative to natural language as a means of communicating knowledge. In many disciplines various forms of con­ cept map are already used as formal knowledge repre­ sentation systems, for example: semantic networks in artificial intelligence, bond graphs in mechanical and electrical engineering, Petri nets in communications, and category graphs in mathematics. This paper de­ scribes the design and applications of groupware con­ cept mapping tools designed to support collaboration in dispersed learning communities.