Conference proceeding
Concept Maps Decrease Students' Neurocognitive Demand When Thinking about Engineering Problems
Construction Research Congress 2022 : Health and Safety, Workforce, and Education, v 4-D, pp 244-253
01 Jan 2022
Abstract
The research presented in this paper explores the effect of concept maps on students' neurocognition when constructing engineering problem statements. In total, 66 engineering students participated in the experiment. Half of the students were asked to create a concept map illustrating all of the systems and stakeholders represented in a building on campus. The other half of students were not asked to draw a concept map. Both groups were then asked to construct an engineering problem statement about improvements to the building. While performing the problem statement task, their neurocognitive activation in their prefrontal cortex (PFC) was measured using a non-intrusive neuroimaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The students that were asked to complete the concept mapping task required less cognitive effort to formulate and analyze their problem statements. The specific regions that were less activated were regions of the brain generally associated with working memory and problem evaluation. These results provide new insight into the changes in mental processing that occurs when using tools like concept maps and may provide helpful techniques for students to structure engineering problems.
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Details
- Title
- Concept Maps Decrease Students' Neurocognitive Demand When Thinking about Engineering Problems
- Creators
- Ushma Manandhar - University of North Carolina at CharlotteMo Hu - University of North Carolina at CharlotteJulie Milovanovic - University of North Carolina at CharlotteTripp Shealy - University of North Carolina at CharlotteJohn Gero - Virginia Tech
- Contributors
- F Jazizadeh (Editor)T Shealy (Editor) - Virginia TechM J Garvin (Editor)
- Publication Details
- Construction Research Congress 2022 : Health and Safety, Workforce, and Education, v 4-D, pp 244-253
- Publisher
- Amer Soc Civil Engineers
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- 1929896; 1929892 / Directorate For Engineering; Div Of Engineering Education and Centers; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Engineering (ENG) 1929892; 1929896 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000776622400025
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85129566582
- Other Identifier
- 991022156320204721