Orchestrating Ontologies for Courseware Design

Abstract

This chapter presents an approach aimed at creating teaching strategies for e-learning based on the principles of ontological engineering and cognitive psychology. The proposed framework is important for many reasons. It is targeted at the development of methodologies and related technologies that can scaffold the process of knowledge structuring and orchestrating teaching ontologies for courseware design. The orchestrating procedure is the kernel of ontology development. Ontologies that describe the main concepts of exemplary domains are used both for teaching and assessment techniques. The main stress is put on using visual techniques of mind-mapping and concept mapping as a powerful mind learning tool. Cognitive bias and some results of Gestalt psychology are highlighted as a general guideline. The ideas of balance, clarity, and beauty are applied to the ontology orchestrating procedures. The examples are taken mainly from the course in C-programming, and in the foundations of intelligent systems development.