The following is a brief summary of Multirelational Semantic Maps
by Lambiotte, Sansereau, Cross and Reynolds (1989) Educational Psychology Review, 1(4)
Summary
The purpose of the paper is to describe a special type of knowledge
representation called multirelational semantic maps. The paper starts with
a definition of knowledge representation and a description of an adequate
knowledge representation system. It talks about the present status of R & D
on knowledge representation and concludes that the amount of uninformed
application of alternative forms of knowledge representation is outstripping
the amount of knowledge derived from research and development. A
description of the TCU Knowledge Mapping System is given. This is done
using both text and sample maps. The system consists of 2 dimensional
diagrams which use spatial relationships of nodes (concepts) and links
(relationships) to communicate concepts and multple relationships between
them. Generation and processing of the maps is described. A taxonomy of
map devices is given; spatial location, node-based systems, link-based
systems and hybrid maps. The paper also does a survey of the map studies
done. This survey is restricted to the educational applications of maps
where the intent of a map is to convey information from teacher to learner
or to facilitate a learner's study or thinking strategies. The paper
suggests that the limitations of this prior research lies in the way the
research was done and the inherent limitations of the map systems that were
used (i.e., most of the research was presented as "tips to teachers" manuals
and so the methodologies for scientific research weren't strictly followed
and the map systems covered did not utilize all the devices described in the
taxonomy). The paper closes by describing the preliminary conceptual
framework for the research being done on TCU Knowledge Mapping. The basis
of this is to integrate the use of spatial and verbal systems of knowledge
representation. The research program is then described.
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