Concept map Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning in Organic Chemistry
Abstract
Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing ideas and concepts as well as their interrelationships. I am currently examining whether or not the construction of concept maps by students helped improve their conceptual understanding and ability to solve higher order problems in organic chemistry. I tested the impact of concept map based learning on student performance in course assessments. Students were given a series of assignments in which they were given a set of related terms and asked to show the correlations on a concept map and reflect on the thought processes that led them to their version. Concept maps were evaluated on linking new learning to previous knowledge, organizing thoughts and critical thinking. Preliminary evidence indicated no direct correlation between their performance on the concept maps and their scores in the course assessments. However students showed more enthusiasm for learning than they did in previous semesters of this course.
Location
Concourse
Recommended Citation
Naik, Canesh, "Concept map Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning in Organic Chemistry" (2013). SoTL Commons Conference. 34.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2013/34
Concept map Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning in Organic Chemistry
Concourse
Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing ideas and concepts as well as their interrelationships. I am currently examining whether or not the construction of concept maps by students helped improve their conceptual understanding and ability to solve higher order problems in organic chemistry. I tested the impact of concept map based learning on student performance in course assessments. Students were given a series of assignments in which they were given a set of related terms and asked to show the correlations on a concept map and reflect on the thought processes that led them to their version. Concept maps were evaluated on linking new learning to previous knowledge, organizing thoughts and critical thinking. Preliminary evidence indicated no direct correlation between their performance on the concept maps and their scores in the course assessments. However students showed more enthusiasm for learning than they did in previous semesters of this course.
