Measurable effects of concept mapping on the achievement of students in college chemistry

• Main Author: Regondola, Marlinda S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2001
• Subjects: Academic achievement; College students; Chemistry > Study and teaching (Higher); Concept mapping; Chemistry
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/879; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1878&context=etd_doctoral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study focuses on the effects of concept mapping on the achievement of students in college chemistry as well as the students' perception on the use of concept mapping. The effects are determined in terms of the differences in achievement between students who are taught using concept mapping and students who are taught using the traditional lecture method. Differences in achievement between students with above average and below average verbal ability, and those with above average and below average mathematical and reasoning ability are also determined.Two intact classes from Ateneo de Naga University, two intact classes from Naga College Foundation and one intact class from Bicol College of Arts and Trade were involved in the study during the second semester school year 2000-2001. The study was composed of the experimental group who was taught using concept mapping and the control group who was taught using the traditional lecture method. Students'achievement data were treated using analysis of covariance with pretest as the covariate and posttest as the dependent variable. ANCOVA was utilized to determine the significant differences between students with above average and below average verbal ability and between students with above average and below average mathematical and reasoning ability. All tests of significance were determined at the 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed the following findings: (1) students who were taught using concept mapping had a significantly higher posttest mean than those students who were taught using the traditional lecture method (2) there was no significant difference in the achievement between students with above average verbal ability and those with below average verbal ability in both experimental and control groups (3) there was no significant difference in achievements between students with above average mathematical and reasoning ability and those with below average mathematical and reasoning ability in both the experimental and control groups (4) there were no interaction effects between method of teaching and verbal ability, between method of teaching and mathematical and reasoning ability and among methods of teaching, verbal and mathematical and reasoning abilities and (5) majority of the students perceived that concept mapping enhances learning and recommended it as a tool for teaching chemistry.The researcher concluded that the use of concept mapping appeared effective in enhancing the achievement of students in chemistry than the traditional lecture method of teaching. Students with above average verbal ability and mathematical and reasoning ability did not differ significantly in performance with those processing below average verbal ability and mathematical and reasoning ability.