The concept map as a research and evaluation tool: Further evidence of validity

Abstract

This study sought further evidence of the concurrent validity of concept mapping as a research and evaluation tool in science education. Specifically, the study examined the extent to which differences exist in the concept maps of advanced college biology majors (N = 25) and beginning nonmajors (N = 25) in the domain of mammals. Furthermore, it explored whether these differences are reflected in the way subjects assign class membership as revealed in a card sorting task. The results indicate that concept maps of biology majors are structurally more complex than those of nonmajors and that differences in the structural complexity and organizational patterns depicted in concept maps are reflected in the underlying dimensions used to assign class membership. Together, these findings suggest that the concept map provides a theoretically powerful and psychometrically sound tool for assessing conceptual change in experimental and classroom settings.

Concept maps as assessment in science inquiry learning - a report of methodology

“…Constrained tasks are tasks which restrict the mapper to a supplied list of concepts and/or link words (Markham, Mintzes and Jones 1994;Osmundson, Chung, Herl and Klein 1999), or use a fill in the blank approach (Zeilik et al 1997;Coleman 1998). Open-ended tasks supply a small number of Concept Maps as Assessment .…”

Evolution of the conceptions of a secondary education biology teacher: Longitudinal analysis using cognitive maps

“…Their initial use was for students' learning, but there is a growing body of work that defends their use in research with science teachers (Beyerbach & Smith, 1990;Casas & Luengo, 2004;Gess-Newsome & Lederman, 1993;Powell, 1994). Applications have included determining the evolution of the conceptions of prospective science teachers about conceptual change (Markham, Mintzes, & Jones, 1994) and of beginning secondary education teachers about science-technology-society instruction (Tsai, 2001), and studying the stability of pre-primary teachers' orientations (Mergendoller & Sacks, 1994).…”

Using Concept Maps to Assess Conceptual Knowledge of Function

“…Two of the studies (Markham et al, 1994;Wallace & Mintzes, 1990) supported the concurrent validity of concept maps as vehicles for documenting and exploring conceptual change in biology. Two others (Laturno, 1994;Park, 1993) used concept maps in studies pertaining to mathematics.…”

“…Six recent studies have used concept maps to assess cognitive structure or conceptual understanding (Beyerbach, 1986;Coleman, 1993;Laturno, 1994;Markham, Mintzes, & Jones, 1994;Park, 1993;Wallace & Mintzes, 1990). Two of the studies (Markham et al, 1994;Wallace & Mintzes, 1990) supported the concurrent validity of concept maps as vehicles for documenting and exploring conceptual change in biology.…”