Complex networks approach to curriculum analysis and subject integration: a case study on Physics and Mathematics

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Tuzón, Paula, Salvà, Antoni Salvà, Fernández-Gracia, Juan
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866911019944640512
author Tuzón, Paula
Salvà, Antoni Salvà
Fernández-Gracia, Juan
author_facet Tuzón, Paula
Salvà, Antoni Salvà
Fernández-Gracia, Juan
contents This paper presents a methodological approach based on the use of complex networks to analyze the structure and content of curricula. We analyze the concept network built from the final year of a particular high school Physics curriculum, as well as that of Mathematics. We examine the most central nodes in each case, the community structures (coherent units or groupings), and the changes that occurred when the network was considered in isolation or integrated with Mathematics. The results show that the integrated Physics and Mathematics network has a higher average degree compared to the individual networks, driven by numerous interdisciplinary connections. The modularity analysis indicates similarities with the original curriculum layout, but also interesting differences that may suggest alternative ways of organizing the content. The differences between separated and integrated networks also highlights the prominence of certain key concepts.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_15929
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Complex networks approach to curriculum analysis and subject integration: a case study on Physics and Mathematics
Tuzón, Paula
Salvà, Antoni Salvà
Fernández-Gracia, Juan
Physics and Society
Physics Education
This paper presents a methodological approach based on the use of complex networks to analyze the structure and content of curricula. We analyze the concept network built from the final year of a particular high school Physics curriculum, as well as that of Mathematics. We examine the most central nodes in each case, the community structures (coherent units or groupings), and the changes that occurred when the network was considered in isolation or integrated with Mathematics. The results show that the integrated Physics and Mathematics network has a higher average degree compared to the individual networks, driven by numerous interdisciplinary connections. The modularity analysis indicates similarities with the original curriculum layout, but also interesting differences that may suggest alternative ways of organizing the content. The differences between separated and integrated networks also highlights the prominence of certain key concepts.
title Complex networks approach to curriculum analysis and subject integration: a case study on Physics and Mathematics
topic Physics and Society
Physics Education
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.15929