The modern knowledge-based economic model demands highly qualified specialists who are capable of solving complex problems and seeing relationships between phenomena, events, and objects. This book highlights the development of the structural knowledge of university students as a necessary precondition for preparing labour market experts, as it facilitates significant cognitive processes, effective problem solving and expert-level performance. The volume considers structural knowledge as an object that should be regularly assessed and further developed in the formative assessment process by using concept mapping as an assessment instrument. It describes concept mapping, the theoretical foundations of structural knowledge, and its formative assessment, and provides a set of practical scenarios validated in instructional practice. It is intended primarily for the administrative and educational staff of higher education institutions who wish to improve the quality of education with the aim of bringing students structural knowledge closer to experts knowledge, and thus ensuring better preparation of students for their professional activities.

The modern knowledge-based economic model demands highly qualified specialists who are capable of solving complex problems and seeing relationships between phenomena, events, and objects. This book highlights the development of the structural knowledge of university students as a necessary precondition for preparing labour market experts, as it facilitates significant cognitive processes, effective problem solving and expert-level performance. The volume considers structural knowledge as an object that should be regularly assessed and further developed in the formative assessment process by using concept mapping as an assessment instrument. It describes concept mapping, the theoretical foundations of structural knowledge, and its formative assessment, and provides a set of practical scenarios validated in instructional practice. It is intended primarily for the administrative and educational staff of higher education institutions who wish to improve the quality of education with the aim of bringing students’ structural knowledge closer to experts’ knowledge, and thus ensuring better preparation of students for their professional activities.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Concept Mapping, CMC 2016, held in Tallinn, Estonia, in September 2016. The 25 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 135 submissions. The papers address issues such as facilitation of learning; eliciting, capturing, archiving, and using “expert” knowledge; planning instruction; assessment of “deep” understandings; research planning; collaborative knowledge modeling; creation of “knowledge portfolios”; curriculum design; eLearning, and administrative and strategic planning and monitoring.

The multiple, related fields encompassed by this Major Reference Work represent a convergence of issues and topics germane to the rapidly changing segments of knowledge and practice in educational communications and technology at all levels and around the globe. There is no other comparable work that is designed not only to gather vital, current, and evolving information and understandings in these knowledge segments but also to be updated on a continuing basis in order to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place in the relevant fields. The Handbook is composed of substantive (5,000 to 15,000 words), peer-reviewed entries that examine and explicate seminal facets of learning theory, research, and practice. It provides a broad range of relevant topics, including significant developments as well as innovative uses of technology that promote learning, performance, and instruction. This work is aimed at researchers, designers, developers, instructors, and other professional practitioners.

Teaching content and measuring content are frequently considered separate entities when designing teaching instruction. This can create a disconnect between how students are taught and how well they succeed when it comes time for assessment. To heal this rift, the theory of meaningful learning is a potential solution for designing effective teaching-learning and assessment materials. Design and Measurement Strategies for Meaningful Learning considers the best practices, challenges, and opportunities of instructional design as well as the theory and impact of meaningful learning. It provides educators with an essential text instructing them on how to successfully design and measure the content they teach. Covering a wide range of topics such as blended learning, online interaction, and learning assessment, this reference work is ideal for teachers, instructional designers, curriculum developers, policymakers, administrators, academicians, researchers, practitioners, and students.

Grounded in the constructivist inquiry approach to science teaching and learning, Essentials of Science Classroom Assessment bridges science assessment research and practice, and connects science assessment and learning. This book will help students in science methods courses to develop essential skills in conducting science assessment to support student learning. The chapters parallel a typical structure of a science methods course, making the integration of this text into a science methods course seamless. Due to its practical and concise nature, this book is also ideal for practicing science teachers to use as a professional development resource.