concept mapping :: exercise for concept mapping : page 1 : page 2

Print out the diagram from the + "eagle sighting" and read through the instruction.

Background:

Some observers called a radio station to report sightings of wildlife activity which had taken place on a specific morning in a certain location.

Each observer reported a separate piece of the event's action.

Objective:

This exercise will help you discover the meaning of various reports from the observers who called in to the radio station. The goal is to help you connect these bits and pieces of information in a practical way, so that the reports mean something more holistic.

Analogy:

Finding meaning from pieces of information reported by different individuals in this exercise is like fitting separate pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together and allowing the full picture to emerge. Often, in a research situation, it is not very common to find all the information for your research needs in one article/book. It is more likely that you will find information in different articles, books or audio-visual materials. It is important that you become able to link information pieces together and determine what each piece does in relation to your own research.

Information called in to the radio station is listed below:

Eight different individuals reported eight pieces of information. These reports are:

1. Two rabbits, mother and baby, were seen running towards a rabbit hole under the bushes.

2. There are some shrubs on the west side, and a long shadow from the shrubs is cast on the left.

3. The sky is blue, sun shining.

4. A bald eagle soars high in the sky, circling the area.

5. Two foxes, mother and baby, hiding under the shrubs.

6. Two eagle chicks are looking out from a nest high up in the tree.

7. The nest is on the south side of the tree.

8. All animals, shrubs, bushes, rabbit holes, nest and the tree are in an area of less than a mile in diameter.

Note: Although all these activities take place within a mile of diameter, they may or may not relate to each other.

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