Concept mapping in teaching physics: Its effects on students' achievement and retention of knowledge

• Main Author: Concepcion, Felipe C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2000
• Subjects: Concept learning; Physics > Study and teaching; Academic achievement; Memory; Physics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/871; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1870&context=etd_doctoral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigates the effects of the use of concept mapping on the achievement and the retention of knowledge of the student in college physics 2.The study used four intact classes of second year engineering students enrolled in college physics 2. Two classes each were from the Notre Dame of Marbel University and the Notre Dame of Dadiangas College. One class from each school was assigned the experimental class and the other class was designated as the control class. Each class is composed of about 25 students.The achievement test prepared and validated by the researcher was the main instrument of the study. This was pretested among 185 third year engineering students who took and passed College Physics 2 of both the Notre Dame of Marbel University and the Notre Dame of Dadiangas College before the final achievement test was administered. Item analyses were done and the KR-20 was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. This achievement test was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in the achievement of the students exposed to concept mapping and those in the traditional method of instruction. The same test was given to all students to determine whether there was a significant difference between their achievement test scores and their retention test scores. Another instrument used was the Creativity Test developed and validated by Professor Antonio G. Dacanay. This test is designed to describe the extent of the development of the creative thinking ability of an individual. A questionnaire developed by the researcher was also used to solicit each student's opinion on the use of concept mapping as a method of instruction. Findings showed that there was no significant difference between the achievement of the students using concept mapping and the traditional method. However, there is a significant difference between the retention scores of the students using concept mapping and those using the traditional method. It was also observed that those students who scored high in the creativity test also scored high in the concept mapping test. When students in the experimental group were asked about their opinion on the use of concept mapping as a method of teaching in their school, most of the students gave a positive response.