Is it a good idea to connect concepts through dependency relations?

[GrimPixel]

When I learn a concept, I often find that to understand it, I have to learn some other concepts and I don't know if they also require learning new concepts. During this procedure, I find learning frustrating, as the teacher always presume that I should have learned them.

So I think I can build a database for this: select which concepts I have already learned and select the concepts required in the lecture, then it returns which concepts I need to learn first, which second, and so on, a clear path.

I have been trying to build this. How do you think?

 

[BillTre]

You should give some examples of what you are talking about.

Is it like the dependence of some biological functions on underlying chemistry?

 

[GrimPixel]

You should give some examples of what you are talking about.

Is it like the dependence of some biological functions on underlying chemistry?

Thanks for point that out.

Here are examples:
* ‘equation’, ‘coefficient’ are dependencies for ‘linear equation’
* ‘area’, ‘triangle (shape)’ are dependencies for ‘Heron's formula’
* ‘equation of state’, ‘ideal gas’ are dependencies for ‘ideal gas law’
* ‘electromagnetic induction’ is the dependency for ‘Lenz's law’

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

* ‘linear equation’
* ‘Heron's formula’
* ‘ideal gas law’
* ‘Lenz's law’

For me, each of those elicits a mental picture of the equation or type of equation, not related concepts. Have you tried associating the mental picture of the equation with concepts like those, instead of trying to picture associative relationships?

 

[GrimPixel]

Welcome to PF. For me, each of those elicits a mental picture of the equation or type of equation, not related concepts. Have you tried associating the mental picture of the equation with concepts like those, instead of trying to picture associative relationships?

Thanks.

Yes, I know mental pictures and I can do. I practise meditation.

I think the relations among concepts can be charted like an atlas and this can guide people towards their destination. I am considering creating a graph: each concept is a vertex and their dependency relations the edges.

 

[berkeman]

Are you familiar with the organization of the Hyperphysics website? There are a number of directed graphs there...

 

[GrimPixel]

Are you familiar with the organization of the Hyperphysics website? There are a number of directed graphs there...

Oh, that looks good, but it is different from what I am thinking about. Hyperphisics is a course arranged in the form of graphs. My idea is the connection of tens of thousands of concepts in science and technology in one graph.

 

[berkeman]

At least for me, your paradigm seems unnecessarily complicated. But if it helps you, it may help other people. It would be good for you to study how people learn in different ways, to see if that helps you plan out your graphs. What teaching/learning resources have you found that explore the different ways that people typically learn? Can you name the 3 ways that are typically cited?

https://abclifeliteracy.ca/blog-posts/the-three-different-ways-that-adults-learn/

 

[symbolipoint]

When I learn a concept, I often find that to understand it, I have to learn some other concepts and I don't know if they also require learning new concepts. During this procedure, I find learning frustrating, as the teacher always presume that I should have learned them.

So I think I can build a database for this: select which concepts I have already learned and select the concepts required in the lecture, then it returns which concepts I need to learn first, which second, and so on, a clear path.

I have been trying to build this. How do you think?

The concept is often called "Prerequisites", but you might be trying to look at finer dependencies.

 

[symbolipoint]

Thanks for point that out.

Here are examples:
* ‘equation’, ‘coefficient’ are dependencies for ‘linear equation’
* ‘area’, ‘triangle (shape)’ are dependencies for ‘Heron's formula’
* ‘equation of state’, ‘ideal gas’ are dependencies for ‘ideal gas law’
* ‘electromagnetic induction’ is the dependency for ‘Lenz's law’

Most of that is PREREQUISITES, without a doubt.

 

[GrimPixel]

At least for me, your paradigm seems unnecessarily complicated. But if it helps you, it may help other people. It would be good for you to study how people learn in different ways, to see if that helps you plan out your graphs. What teaching/learning resources have you found that explore the different ways that people typically learn? Can you name the 3 ways that are typically cited?

https://abclifeliteracy.ca/blog-posts/the-three-different-ways-that-adults-learn/

I know how to learn in those ways. That was taught by my primary school teacher.

I have been doing it for months. It is a repetition of what I have learned and discovery of what I haven't learned. I have found out that it provides an overview like the tech tree in Sid Meier's Civilization. My thoughts: the school curriculum has omitted a lot of things to understand many concepts and I am filling the hole.

 

[GrimPixel]

Most of that is PREREQUISITES, without a doubt.

Yes, I know. It is just similar to ‘dependency’ in computer science. I know it is called PREREQUISITES.

 

[berkeman]

Okay, it is good that you are trying to provide options to improve the educational process. What educational peer-reviewed journals to you read regularly? That will help you to learn what the state of the art is in educational approaches, and when you are ready to publish your research on your approach, that is likely where you will submit your article.

 

[GrimPixel]

Okay, it is good that you are trying to provide options to improve the educational process. What educational peer-reviewed journals to you read regularly? That will help you to learn what the state of the art is in educational approaches, and when you are ready to publish your research on your approach, that is likely where you will submit your article.

I am sure you can find articles to help yourself. It is not available for everyone to publish, especially those who haven't learned pedagogy and who don't have the connections in the field. So it is guaranteed that you would be disappointed.

 

[symbolipoint]

When I learn a concept, I often find that to understand it, I have to learn some other concepts and I don't know if they also require learning new concepts. During this procedure, I find learning frustrating, as the teacher always presume that I should have learned them.

So I think I can build a database for this: select which concepts I have already learned and select the concepts required in the lecture, then it returns which concepts I need to learn first, which second, and so on, a clear path.

I have been trying to build this. How do you think?

What are you really asking? If this is not about prerequisites skills and knowledge then what you want is obscure.