Using Self-Organizing Neural Network Map Combined with Ward's Clustering Algorithm for Visualization of Students' Cognitive Structural Models about Aliveness Concept

• Published in: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience Vol. 2016; no. 2016; pp. 414 - 427-032
• Main Authors: Yorek, Nurettin, Aydin, Halil, Ugulu, Ilker
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Limiteds 01.01.2016; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animal cognition; Anthropocentrism; Artificial Intelligence; Classification; Cluster Analysis; Clustering; Cognition; Cognition - physiology; Comprehension - physiology; Concept Formation; Construction; Educational aspects; Human; Humans; Mathematical models; Models, Neurological; Neural networks; Neural Networks (Computer); Neurons - physiology; Self-Control; Students; Students - psychology; Swimming; Taxonomy; Visualization
• ISSN: 1687-5265; 1687-5273; 1687-5273
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/2476256

We propose an approach to clustering and visualization of students’ cognitive structural models. We use the self-organizing map (SOM) combined with Ward’s clustering to conduct cluster analysis. In the study carried out on 100 subjects, a conceptual understanding test consisting of open-ended questions was used as a data collection tool. The results of analyses indicated that students constructed the aliveness concept by associating it predominantly with human. Motion appeared as the most frequently associated term with the aliveness concept. The results suggest that the aliveness concept has been constructed using anthropocentric and animistic cognitive structures. In the next step, we used the data obtained from the conceptual understanding test for training the SOM. Consequently, we propose a visualization method about cognitive structure of the aliveness concept.