Showing papers on "Concept map published in 1969"

Concept mapping improves academic performance in problem solving questions in biochemistry subject.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of concept mapping (CM) on the academic performance of medical students' in problem-solving as well as in declarative knowledge questions and their perception regarding CM. METHODS The present analytical and questionnaire-based study was carried out at Bahria University Medical and Dental College (BUMDC), Karachi, Pakistan. In this analytical study, students were assessed with problem-solving questions (A-type MCQs), and declarative knowledge questions (short essay questions), and 50% of the questions were from the topics learned by CM. Students also filled a 10-item, 3-point Likert scale questionnaire about their perception regarding the effectiveness of the CM approach, and two open-ended questions were also asked. RESULTS There was a significant difference in the marks obtained in those problem-solving questions, which were learned by CM as compared to those topics which were taught by the traditional lectures (p<0.001), while no significant difference was observed in marks in declarative knowledge questions (p=0.704). Analysis of students' perception regarding CM showed that majority of the students perceive that CM is a helpful technique and it is enjoyed by the students. In open-ended questions, the majority of the students commented positively about the effectiveness of CM. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that CM improves academic performance in problem solving but not in declarative knowledge questions. Students' perception about the effectiveness of CM was overwhelmingly positive.

Taking Concept Mapping (CM) forward with socially mediated structured approaches

Abstract: There is substantial research evidence (e.g. Nygaard and Holtham, 2008, 2009) to indicate that students’ active engagement in co-constructing knowledge, and taking responsibility for their own learning, is key to their achievement and development. This chapter will explore Concept Mapping (CM) not only as one means of gathering research data but also – and most importantly – as a powerful technique to support reflection and offer space for internal dialogue about each student’s personal development. Concept maps were gathered from a sample of students on a postgraduate business programme. In addition to the data from the concept maps themselves, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with part of the sample to follow-up and illuminate the CM process, as they seemed to deepen the reflective capacity of those students through more structured and socially-mediated activity. Findings from this research indicate that CM introduced within a socially supported and structured process can enable the shift from teacher reliance to student autonomy. It is also suggested that students do need structured and scaffolded activities in the area of Personal Development Planning (PDP), especially in reflective tasks, as they are often not sure how to approach this area of learning.