This thesis emphasizes on an alternate instructional tool called Concept Map. The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using concept maps in improving the science achievement of 10th -grade students and compare it with a traditional approach for a Biology unit. Furthermore, the interaction of the students concept mapping ability and their learning gains was investigated. Both the control and the experimental groups were required to take a pre test before instruction and a posttest at the end of three weeks. The test consisting of 31 questions was used to assess learning gains on a Biology Unit about Balance in Nature. Student-constructed maps were scored using Novaks scoring scheme. The first finding of the study was that concept map exposed students did not perform much better than the same level students in the traditional group. The difference in the learning gains between the experimental and the control group in their unit test, though statistically significant, did not seem to be solely due to concept mapping. The second finding indicated that total scores in concept maps did not strongly predict student achievement in Science. Moreover, results showed that the levels of concept mapping ability were not associated with the concept- mapping students learning gains. Nevertheless, the study suggests that, when carefully integrated into the normal classroom procedure and when other contributing factors such as student motivation and preparedness, reading ability levels, time and classroom environment are considered, concept mapping has a potential to be an effective instructional strategy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-07092012-114044 |
| Date | 13 July 2012 |
| Creators | Adlaon, Ritchie |
| Contributors | Blackmon, Jeff, Browne, Dana, Hopkins, John |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07092012-114044/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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