Basic ways to approach problems and issues in life, to learn in high quality way and to continually improve quality are steps towards solving environmental problems. We need both a theory and quality tools to foster our learning to sustainable development, good environment and higher quality of life.

Before you read any more about the book, please construct your own tentative personal theory about quality tools which you think would be the most useful for promoting solving and alleviating environmental problems.

After you have constructed your answer, only after that, please compare you conception, your tentative theory to the ideas presented in this book on the following page(s).

Quality tools for high quality learning, thinking and acting (based partly on Åhlberg 1997b)

In order to improve continually quality we need both a theory and quality tools. In the following first are presented two new quality tools to foster high quality learning, thinking and acting.

Basic elements of thinking are 1) concepts (categories, sets) and propositions constructed out of them and 2) perceptual images (Åhlberg 1990b, 19 - 21; Paivio 1986, 67). In human mind there are also abstract schemas, which according to Anderson (1995, 154 - 155) are ways of encoding regularities in categories, whether these regularities are perceptual or propositional. Shaw and Hazelett (1986, 56 - 57) take an evolutionary approach to human thinking and schemas: “Organisms are naturally endowed with elementary schemas that guide their initial interaction with their environments. ...elementary schemas... must be reciprocally assimilated to each other... “Assimilation does not create more abstract schemas. From elementary schemas abstract schemas are created by schematization. Schematization is the natural process of recursively applying schemas to other schemas. According to Shaw and Hazelett (1986, 57) all concept arise by schematization process. The concept of schema is useful, because it integrates structural and functional aspects of human “behaviour” and reasoned actions. In thinking we have structural aspects, which can be partly represented by concept maps. Connected and integrated with this structural aspect we have sensory and motor aspect of schemas.

Structure of concepts and propositions can be represented by talking, writing or by graphic representations like concept maps. From evolutionary viewpoint it is clear that first humans learnt to talk, then to write and the latest and most advanced form of representing is construction graphic representations. Talking is often branching and time consuming. Writing is even more time consuming but it often facilitates thinking. Constructing graphic representations like concept maps take more time than talking are writing, but it also promotes thinking and metacognition. Improved concept map and Vee heuristic are two important quality tools which we have found both in theory and in practice very efficient in promoting metacognition, quality of learning, thinking and acting. In courses arranged by Professor Mauri Åhlberg during the project since the end of 1996 over two hundred pre-service and in-service teachers have learnt these new quality tools, have used them and find them efficient ways to promote learning for better sustainable development, better environment and higher quality of life. According to Candy (1991, 323 - 445) concept mapping and Vee heuristics probably promote self-directed learning and skills for self-directed learning.

The improved Concept mapping

Concept maps in the accurate form were developed by Novak (e.g. Novak and Gowin 1984). The latest book about Novak style accurate concept maps is Novak (1998). Novak (1998) still uses concept maps where links have only rarely arrow heads. However the simplest rule and also the most elegant option is always to use links with arrow heads. Arrows show the order how propositions are read from one concept to another. Furthermore Novak still gives advice that the most abstract concept ought to be placed on the top of concept map. However his own examples show that this advice is not worth following. There are research which show that concept maps improve meaningfulness of learning and problem solving (e.g. Al-Kunifed and Wandersee 1985; Horton & al.1993; Novak 1984 and 1998; Pankratius 1990; Sizmur & Osborne 1997). Novak and Gowin (1984) learning how to learn has now translated into Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai languages, French translations in progress according to Novak (1998, 31) Concept maps are nowadays used in many countries, e.g. in Finland Åhlberg (1988b-), in Italy Dupre (ed.) 1991, in UK Harle & al 1990, in USA Jonassen 1996; Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson 1996.

Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson (1996) is a constructively critical evaluative article of how concept maps are used in science assessment. One detail needs further discussion. According to Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson (1996, 593) “concept maps can distinguish between experts and novices in a subject domain. However, results also suggest that experts’ concept maps are not as similar as we would want and expect (Acton & al. 1994)”. However why we would want expert’s concept maps be similar? Unanimity is not any criterion of truth. The point is that science and more generally human knowledge proceeds by best evidence, by best justifications. Often in the frontline of human knowledge construction there are differences in concepts, conceptions, even part theories. Concept maps can show these differences accurately.

The fastest way to learn and teach improved concept mapping is to use an analogy of ’islands and bridges’. Concepts are like islands. Links are like bridges. Only by naming the link so that you construct a meaningful proposition, you can go from island to island, from concept to concept. Arrowhead(s) shows in which direction the particular proposition is to be read. The top most concepts are like a title for the concept map. Sometimes it is good to place the most central concept in the centre of the concept map. Hierarchy is often useful, but for instance systems are often not hierarchies. The point is to present your thinking of the subject as clearly as possible. An example of improved concept map is presented in Figure 1.
 

You can start analysing a concept map by counting a number of links by which each concept is connected to other concepts. The more links the more important the concept is in the thinking of the individual whose concept map was constructed. For instance in the Figure 1 the most important concept is ‘good life’, because it has more links (6 links) than any other concepts. The following ones in importance are concepts ’healthy, ecologically sustainable economy’ and ‘EE which tries to activate the whole community’, both of which have 5 links. Then you can go forward analysing proposition by proposition if they make sense, whether the are plausible, relevant etc.
 

Practical suggestion:

Use concept maps with your students as often as it is comfortable. Teach them to use it always before and after the learning project. That is how you can learn how learning and thinking are proceeding and you can help those who need help.
 
 
 

Improved Vee heuristics

Vee heuristic in its basic form was developed by Gowin (e.g. Novak and Gowin 1984). I have strongly improved those tools (e.g. Åhlberg 1993, 1996, 1997a and 1997b; ERTCEE 1996, 39 - 41). In Figure 2 there is an example of a Vee heuristic. It contains 10 theoretically justified steps to high quality learning and thinking. Because thinking is hard job, people often first resist it. But after having done it they almost without exception think that it improved their learning and thinking. Both children and adults are able to use Vee heuristics and it promotes their learning and thinking (Alvarez and Risko 1987; Kärkkäinen 1997; Ahoranta 1998, Åhlberg 1988 - 1998).
 

Åhlberg (1998e) presents work of an innovative teacher Vuokko Ahoranta, who has invented a good application of Vee heuristic suitable to classroom use in primary school. Ahoranta asks pupils first to construct a left planning side of Vee heuristics. But on separate A4 paper sheet each pupil draws her/his concept map of the issue before the actual learning project. This corresponds in adult’s Vee heuristic both conceptual basis and conceptual basis. After the proper learning project pupils fulfil the rest of Vee heuristic. Now on a new A4 paper sheet each pupil constructs her/his concept map after the learning project. This corresponds points 7 and 8 in adult’s Vee heuristic. Teachers get useful knowledge about pupil thinking and values to improve their teaching, to understand students better and to help students learn better.

The improved Vee heuristic contains three basic phases of action research and three basic stages of continual quality improvement: planning, implementation and evaluation. The form of Vee reminds us that we can construct knowledge only by making an accurate question and trying to answer it. Nobody can construct all human knowledge at one time. Some kind of everyday thinking is flowing easily at high level of planning and instant evaluations. Some kind of routine practical activity is also easy to follow. But in order to construct relevant, deep knowledge of anything of importance, the 10 steps are necessary elements. For pupils in primary school 8 steps seem to be enough, when they construct a concept map in the beginning of the learning project and in the end of the learning project.
 
 

Practical suggestion:

Teach your students to make the left side of a Vee heuristic before a learning project and to finish the right side after the learning project. That is how you learn very much about their learning, values and thinking. You can together discuss issues if needed.