scholarly journals Concept Maps as a Learning Assessment Tool

10.28945/3106 ◽  
2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loredana La Vecchia ◽  
Marco Pedroni

Over recent decades, the process of teaching/leaming has become ever more complex. The increasing school population, and the advent of new IT applications and of networking, together with the requirement for continuous training, have comprehensively overturned the simplistic approach to the process that had previously been pursued. As a result, the evaluation of the process has also been overhauled - having once been a selective practice, it is now considered to be an activity that generates quality in teaching. However, it appears that the tools used to carry out evaluations have been lagging behind in terms of innovation. In an effort to close this gap, the authors here offer a study of the possibility of using closed tests that can be analysed in terms of rigorous algorithms, are replicable through automated software and use the concept map structure in a variety of ways.

Author(s):  
Suparat Chuechote ◽  
◽  
Parames Laosinchai

The graphical elements as parts of concept map construction are employed to assess both learning and teaching. Augmenting the use of concept maps, this study examines the graphical elements, such as, nodes, edges, cliques, diameters, travelling paths and structures of the graphs to relate to ones’ understanding to a topic, in this case, polynomials for middle school. In the aspect of teaching assessment, the teacher’ concept map drawn according to the lesson plan is served as the master map, which echoes the teacher’s expectation of students’ learning. On the other hand, students’ maps also reveal their understanding through the nodal relationship, which can be the definitions of terms, related examples, graph representation and algebraic manipulation. Data collection includes a focus group of 10 students and 1 teacher undergoing the concept map assessment task with restricted node terms. Graphically analyzed, students’ concept maps reveal some common elements as in the teacher’s map. In addition, the interview with the teacher also suggests that concept map as the assessment tool is an effective teaching reflection for which the teacher can see what to fulfill for future classes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 849-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. B. A. Ghani ◽  
N. H. Ibrahim ◽  
N. A. Yahaya ◽  
J. Surif

Educational transformation in the 21st century demands in-depth knowledge and understanding in order to promote the development of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). However, the most commonly reported problem with respect to developing a knowledge of chemistry is poor mastery of basic concepts. Chemistry laboratory educational activities are shown to be less effective in developing an optimum conceptual understanding and HOTS among students. One factor is a lack of effective assessment and evaluation tools. Therefore, the primary focus of this study is to explore concept maps as an assessment tool in order to move students' thinking skills to a higher level during laboratory learning activities. An embedded mixed method design is used in this study, which has also employed a pre-experimental research design. This design triangulates quantitative and qualitative data, which are combined to strengthen the findings. A low-directed concept mapping technique, convergence scoring method, and pre-post laboratory concept map were used in this study. An electrolysis HOTS test was used as the research instrument in order to measure the level of student achievement with respect to high-level questions. In addition, the thought process that is involved when students construct concept maps has been explored and studied in detail by utilising a think-aloud protocol. Results showed a positive development towards understanding and higher level thinking skills in students with respect to electrolysis concepts learned through chemistry laboratory activities. An investigation of the students' thinking processes showed that high-achieving students were more capable of giving a content-based explanation of electrolysis and engaged in monitoring activities more often while building a concept map. Nonetheless, all categories of students managed to show a positive increase in the activities of explanation and monitoring during the construction of concept maps after they were exposed to the assessment tool in the laboratory learning activities. In conclusion, the assessment activity using concept maps in laboratory learning activities has a positive impact on students' understanding and stimulates students to increase their HOTS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 10506-10506
Author(s):  
Sam Brondfield ◽  
Allen Seol ◽  
Katherine Hyland ◽  
Arianne Teherani ◽  
Gerald Hsu

10506 Background: Proliferating knowledge domains have prompted medical schools to reconsider how best to facilitate multidisciplinary learning. Concept maps promote knowledge retention and integration; however, the feasibility and utility of integrating concept maps into a medical student oncology curriculum as a learning and assessment tool have not previously been described. Methods: In 2015-2016, all 152 second-year University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) medical students in a hematology/oncology course produced a concept map about a single cancer type over four weeks. Two of three graders independently scored each map using a standard rubric. We used linear regression to calculate the Pearson correlation coefficient between graders and between concept map scores and preclinical examination scores, USMLE Step 1 scores, and clerkship grades. We sent course evaluations to 50 randomly selected students (as is typical in the UCSF curriculum) and performed an inductive content analysis of open-ended comments about concept mapping. Results: We graded all 152 concept maps. Inter-rater reliability was excellent ( r = 0.95 or greater between the graders). Concept map scores did not correlate with preclinical or clinical performance. 43 of 50 students (86%) rated the helpfulness of concept mapping on a 5-point agreement scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree). The median rating was 3, and the mean (SD) rating was 2.81 (1.44). 22 of 50 (44%) students submitted comments about concept mapping. Some (9 of 22) found concept mapping useful, expressing themes such as “learning the material better” and delving into the “details.” Others (7 of 22) did not, expressing themes such as preferring “other study methods” and feeling that concept mapping was “busy work” or “stressful.” Conclusions: Integrating concept maps into a medical student oncology curriculum was feasible, and we demonstrated reliability evidence as an assessment tool. Future studies should explore whether integrating concept maps earlier in medical school, producing multiple concept maps over time with training and feedback, or developing concept maps collaboratively may increase utility as a learning and assessment tool.


1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 464-469
Author(s):  
Sandra K. Wilcox ◽  
Marie Sahloff

Two recent articles in this journal (bartels 1995; hanselman 1996) have promoted the use of concept maps and webs as instructional tools for helping students make connections and examine relationships among mathematical ideas. We present a use of concept maps as an assessment tool that is augmented by an additional activity. This elaboration of a concept map has the potential to give a teacher additional information about what students are coming to understand and to help the teacher decide the direction of future instruction. Further, it gives control to students to construct their own personal representation of what they know, how they know it, and what they are struggling with.


10.28945/952 ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 307-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loredana La Vecchia ◽  
Marco Pedroni

Author(s):  
Andrew J. Afram ◽  
John Briedis ◽  
Daisuke Fujiwara ◽  
Robert J.K. Jacob ◽  
Caroline G.L. Cao ◽  
...  

A concept map is a diagram that consists of nodes that contain individual concepts or pieces of information. These nodes are connected by lines that represent relationships between the information. Large concept maps are difficult to explore and navigate using current digital display interfaces. As users zoom in on a desired node, connections between the node of interest and surrounding nodes become hidden from the user. A combination of fisheye zooming and semantic zooming mechanisms to maintain the visual connections between the nodes was implemented, and a user study to determine whether this technique helps users learn from the map was conducted. The user study revealed that participants were able to recall more information presented in a concept map, with practically no difference in the amount of time spent using the map, despite the novelty of the semantic fisheye interface.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 22-25
Author(s):  
Nataliia Borysova

The article reveals the concept of conceptual mapping in the process of learning a foreign language. It is stated that a concept map is a diagram that shows the relationships between notions. Such maps are graphical tools for organizing and presenting knowledge. It is emphasized that the most useful form of a concept map for teaching and learning is one that is placed in a hierarchical organization, where more general and comprehensive notions are at the top of the map and more specific at the bottom. The difference between concert cards and mind maps is given. It is emphasized that despite a similarity of mind maps and concept maps, these two methods differ in many respects, in particular, concept maps are characterized by clear links between the described ideas and are more structured than mind maps, as a formally approximate description, which places ideas in some sequence and organizes them hierarchically by levels of importance.


Author(s):  
Christina J. Preston

This chapter focuses on teachers’ multidimensional concept mapping data collected at the beginning and end of a one-year Masters level course about e-learning. A multidimensional concept map (MDCM) defines any concept map that is multimodal, multimedia, multilayered and/or multi-authored. The teachers’ personal and professional learning priorities are analysed using two semiotic methods: the first is a traditional analysis of the words used to label the nodes; the second is an innovative analysis method that treats the whole map as a semiotic artefact, in which all the elements, including the words, have equal importance. The findings suggest that these tools offer deep insights into the learning priorities of individuals and groups, especially the affective and motivational factors. The teachers, as co-researchers, also adopted MDCM to underpin collaborative thinking. These research tools can be used in the assessment process to value multimodal literacy and collaborative engagement in new knowledge construction.


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