DIGITAL
USING CONCEPT MAPS FOR PRESENTING ELECTROMAGNETIC PROPAGATION AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION THROUGH OPTICAL FIBERS
1 School of Pedagogical & Technological Education (ASPETE) (GREECE)
2 National Technical University of Athens (GREECE)
3 National Center of Scientific Research “Demokritos” (GREECE)
2 National Technical University of Athens (GREECE)
3 National Center of Scientific Research “Demokritos” (GREECE)
About this paper:
Appears in: EDULEARN26 Proceedings
Publication year: 2026
Article: 1135
ISBN: 978-84-09-88444-5
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2026.1135
Publication year: 2026
Article: 1135
ISBN: 978-84-09-88444-5
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2026.1135
Conference name: 18th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 29 June-1 July, 2026
Location: Palma, Spain
Dates: 29 June-1 July, 2026
Location: Palma, Spain
Abstract:
The paper describes the use of concept maps for the presentation of topics regarding optical fibers such as the main types of optical waveguides and fibers, fiber modes, attenuation mechanisms and dispersion types with the aim is the students to better comprehend electromagnetic and signal transmission phenomena related to fiber optics. The relevant lecture (of revision type) was a 2-hour one implemented in the context of the 6th-semester “Optical Communications” course offered at the Dept. of Electrical & Electronic Engineering Educators, School of Pedagogical & Technological Education (ASPETE), Athens, Greece.Concept maps were used to present the following issues and phenomena:
- The various types of optical waveguides and fibers.
- The types and essential characteristics of fiber modes.
- The various mechanisms of signal attenuation.
- The types of signal dispersion.
During the 2-hour lecture (that followed the lectures on the above topics) the students were asked to attend and, if possible, participate in the formation of the relevant concept maps that also included a reference to the basic facts and parameters of each topic. At the end of the lecture, a short questionnaire was distributed to the students that should be answered by means of a 5-grade Linkert scale. The average in the answers was between 4.0 to 4.6 which shows that students generally agreed on the usefulness of concept maps with regard to the examined topics (particularly concerning fiber modes which is generally considered a rather complicated matter).
This particular use of concept maps regarded the Content Knowledge (CK) and Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) parts of the TPACK framework. The aim was the students to develop Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in view of their possible future employment as secondary school teachers. Regarding Bloom’s revised taxonomy, the presentation mainly covered layers 2 and 3 (understand and apply) and maybe layer 4 (analyze).