Overview of Researches in IESS

Here, we can see the core ideal and concepts of research work at IESS, get an overview of all the research directions of IESS, and even grasp the relationship between these research directions. You can click here to access the original concept map file for the above picture.

It can be seen that the core research question is that “whether or not meaingful towards advanced knowledge generators over human knowledge highway, or simply referred to as meaningful learning, can indeed help teachers to teach better and help students to learn better, and then ultimately with better efficiency to cultivate more people who have the ability to identify and raise questions, solve problems, create knowledge, and use knowledge creatively".

In order to systematically implement meaningful learning, we first need to construct a human knowledge highway, which is a network of concepts connected by meaningful connections, with annotated level of knowledge, as well as linking the homework questions or projects to the concept network (so, from it we also get the level of questions and projects).

Then, we need to consider how this knowledge highway can be used for better teaching and learning. For example, we may study algorithms for better learning order, or adaptive diagnostic test algorithm to prepare for meaningful learning.

Next, we need to perform the comparative study of meaningful learning and rote learning. This comparative study consists of several levels: first, select some specific knowledge pieces to compare very detailed brain activities and behavioral effects; second, select a group of closely related concept which will benefit most from meaningful learning, and perform experiments in the laboratory; third, carry out classroom experiments for a course of a certain grade and a certain subject. Once these experiments are completed, we can even carry out experiments at the level of the curriculum system and study how to further promote meaningful learning.

At the same time, in order to support these core researches, we can also work on some auxiliary studies. For example, we can annotate the level of teaching and learning in current classrooms by collecting data on real classroom activities and annoting the level of teaching and learning according to the human knowledge highway with the annotated levels of both knowledge and questions on it.