'but Is Our Concept Map Any Good?': Classroom Experiences with the Reasonable Fallible Analyser

Classroom concept mapping presents teachers with the problem of how to arrange that learners get feedback on the quality of their concept maps. To address this problem, a software analyser (named the RFA) has been developed that generates scores and hints for student maps by comparing them to an expert map. The analyser is fallible: many of its assessments will be initially incorrect. But it is also reasonable: the student is able to argue for a more favourable assessment. This paper reports classroom trials which indicate that high school students' experience of concept mapping is enhanced by the RFA. Students enjoy arguing with the system, accept its scoring as fair, welcome its hints, and are frequently stimulated to revise their maps to accommodate the feedback obtained.