This activity allows instructors to see how students group various concepts related to input and output.
In groups, have students create a concept map about the concept "Input". Additionally, the students should create a concept map about the concept "Output". In order to guide the students, give them the following concept map of "Object".
A concept map is a map with concepts and arcs. If two concepts go together in the model, then place an arc between them. Design a concept map for "Input" and a separate concept map for "Output". When labeling edges in your group, discuss why the concepts are related.
Input Solution:
Output Solution:
Analyzing concept maps is tricky business. One technical approach would be to have a matrix of every possible concept in the map. For each edge connecting one concept to another, add one to the value in matrix. This can give an overall average of how the students form the connections.
Less technical approaches involves looking at each map for creative responses. Integrate these into the master map you yourself designed. Add to it any concepts or edges that you find interesting in the student responses. Distribute and discuss this larger map to the class.