Semantic nets and conceptual maps: integration of new teaching methodologies

Abstract

Reflection on the educational experiences with conceptual maps in Librarianship Education carried at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Florianópolis, Brazil). The aim was using conceptual maps to improve certain cognitive abilities: inclusion —finding the central idea of a text—, connection —expressing relations with the previous knowledge of the students), differentiation —attributing meanings to terms and concepts in a due textual context— and integration —relations among the main terms and concepts—. The learning process requires the personal construction and appropiation of knowledge. The net of meanings established by the student while building conceptual maps allows him to construct his own personal knowledge step by step, establishing new relationships. Sharing in the classroom the different nets of meanings established by individual students through conceptual maps can stimulate the reflective thought and the construction of knowledge