The Bridge between Learners and Teachers
We strive for deep learning, but we observe poor connection and fading memories
Hypothesis
If we can design a means to naturally and efficiently map out the evolving understanding of concepts that closely matches how the brain works, then we can provide a structure:
- for students to scaffold their learning on prior knowledge;
- for teachers to help assess levels of learning by accessing a much deeper view of the current state of knowledge acquisition.
Design Requirements
Coherent with human cognition
- Represent levels of abstractions;
- Represent different types of relations between information.
Flexible, semi-structured
- Build from a partial understanding;
- Reorganize as things make more sense;
- Support divergent and convergent thinking (creativity processes).
Efficient for a large amount of knowledge
- Structures multiple thousands of concepts and relations;
- Use the strength of the visual system, but avoid overload.
Smooth usage, multimodal
- Stay in the flow;
- Good first choice for most tasks to centralize work.
Collaborative
- Support co-creation;
- Build a common vision, up-to-date.
Concept Space
A graphical workspace aiming to represent and manipulate mental representation in a way that closely resembles mental structures as informed by cognitive science.
** It is pretty different from a concept map!
Researches
Several areas of research are at the source of the design of concept space:
*Diagram of Vygotsky’s Activity Theory.
Articles and Publications
- Foley, David (2022-11-01). Discovering Concept-Space to Improve Student Experience and Teaching in Design Projects. Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA).
- Foley, David (2022). L'espace conceptuel : un dispositif pédagogique inédit. Agir ensemble dans l'enseignement supérieur: enjeux et perspectives - Sciencesconf.org. AIPU. Rennes (France).
- Foley, David; Charron, François; Plante, Jean-Sébastien (2018). Potential of the CogEx Software Platform to Replace Logbooks in Capstone Design Projects. Advances in Engineering Education.
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They teach, support, learn, and innovate. Our ambassadors bring Relate to life in a variety of educational settings, convinced that organizing knowledge can transform learning.
Users' Testimonials
Emma Riendeau
Natural Science Student
I would recommend Relate to any student, in any program.
For studying and taking notes, really, it makes it so that when you study before the exam, it's easier to review and go through the course content rather than having to search through paper notes where there are lots of things and words that do not necessarily have a connection between them.
Watch the complete testimonial.Maxime Léveillé
Biochemistry Graduate student
I have a Relate for every important thing that I do, my music projects, my pole vault trainings, all my classes and my research.
I am able to go deeper in the material while I am learning and when it is time to to prepare for exams, I can easily see the big picture. Studying is a lot faster and I can understand better what I'm learning.
Watch the complete testimonial.Marie-Pier Bonneau
Mechanical Engineering Student
We had a complex team project to work on and Relate really allowed me to develop and organize information in a way that the other team members could rapidly understand what I was doing and where I was going.
Watch the complete testimonial.Explore case studies
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What's Next?
Our latest findings outline a high potential in improving education; we are welcoming everyone that wants to use concept-space, for improving education or for research.
Future research ideas:
- Mesure long-term benefits of learning through concept-space construction and organization, including lifelong learning.
- Study how concept-space provides an inclusive tool for both divergent and convergent learning styles, creativity.
- Provide alternative learning assessment that can't be generated by AI (Chat GPT).
- Develop detections of patterns in knowledge construction to help identify ADHD and giftedness (probably AI).
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