CMAP TOOLS transforming mathematical learning

Fiorela Anai Fernandez Otoya

Professor assigned to the Department of Science Education USAT

Mathematics has a long historical trajectory since humanity began, but how to learn and teach Mathematics? This is the great educational issue and in every age it deserves a specific answer. "Mathematics education must evolve in line with some new objectives and new media." ( Alsina et al, 1998 ) .

Nowadays learning mathematical contents do not longer depends on by heart method, but it is one of many objectives that CmapTools has set to contribute to the internalization of concepts attached to mathematical science, which by its complex nature requires the use of interactive, unedited tools that ensure quality results.

This new software has a solid foundation in a recognized technical study: the conceptual map; because it designs concept maps efficiently and effectively which organize the theoretical part of mathematics.

The proper use of CmapTools influences significantly in student’s life , due to it banishes the traditional methods and introduces information technology in mathematics education; instituting a different option that increases learning dramatically,  shortening the time and increasing the interest and motivation .

This program developed by the “Institute for Human and Machina Cognition”  (IHMC) of the University of West Florida (USA), was designed in order to support the construction of knowledge models represented as "Concept Mapping" but "Cobwebs", "Thinking Maps" and "cause-effect diagrams"  can also be made with it, all within an intuitive, friendly and easy environment to use job; it offers all the necessary features that a software must have to accomplish the learning objectives set for the category of Visual Learning tools of the Curriculum Interactive Computing Model.

In the same way, it is satisfactory for the student to be part of this reality and even more if it is a user-friendly software that has been done just in front of the problems that some students have due to not know how to organize the information in each area, especially if they want to synchronize math concepts to move them into practice consistently.