Assessment of Concept Maps in Introductory Psychology

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Assessment of Concept Maps in Introductory
Psychology

• Stephen A. Wurst, David M. SargentPsychology
  Dept., SUNY-Oswego
• and Jeffrey Nevid
• St. Johns University
• Contact e-mails
• wurst_at_oswego.edu, sargent_at_oswego.edu,
• nevidj_at_stjohns.edu

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Abstract

• The present study was conducted to assess the
  effectiveness of concept
• maps in an introductory psychology course.
  Students at the beginning of
• a large lecture section of class were randomly
  given either text-only notes,
• the concept map for the chapter, or a concept map
  with some nodes
• needed to be filled-in (the interactive map).
  After the lecture, a six-item
• quiz was administered to test comprehension of
  the lecture material.
• An additional questionnaire asked about the
  students prior concept map
• usage, text reading before the class, and three
  attitudinal questions about
• the study sheets. Results showed that there was
  no main effect of study
• sheet type on comprehension, but significant
  effects were found for the
• attitudinal measures. Students enjoyed using the
  completed concept
• maps and found them easy to use, but students
  using the interactive
• version reported the least enjoyment. Discussion
  will address the possible
• ceiling effects and reasons for the students
  preferences.

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Rationale for Present Research

• The use of concept maps in textbooks and
  ancillaries such as student study guides has been
  increasing. These maps display the major
  concepts in a chapter in a spatial, hierarchical
  way to help the student learn the concepts and
  the relationships between the concepts. Maps
  consist of two elements nodes and links (Nevid,
  2007). Another important feature of the maps is
  that they can be read multidirectionally. Basic
  cognitive research by Novick (e.g., Novick, 2001
  Novick Hurley, 2001) has demonstrated the
  effectiveness of spatial diagrams in improving
  comprehension. One leading introductory
  psychology textbook author, Jeffrey Nevid (2007),
  has applied these findings to create concept maps
  to accompany his textbook. Our purpose was to
  assess the effect of concept maps on
  comprehension and attitudes in a naturalistic,
  lecture setting.

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METHOD

• Students (31 males, 39 females) at the beginning
  of a large lecture section of an introductory
  psychology class were randomly given either
  text-only notes, the concept map for the chapter,
  or a concept map with 8 nodes needed to be
  filled-in (interactive concept map). The
  professor then lectured on the topic of stress.
  At the end of lecture, a six-item quiz was
  administered to test comprehension of the lecture
  material. Students were allowed to use their
  notes and were not given a time limit to complete
  the quiz. An additional questionnaire asked about
  the students prior concept map usage, text
  reading before the class, and three attitudinal
  questions about the study sheets ( I enjoyed
  using my study sheet I found the study sheet
  useful and I thought the study sheet was easy
  to use).

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TEXT-ONLY VERSION

• Chapter 15 Stress Study Sheet
• Stress is the pressure to adjust to demands
  placed upon us.
• Stress is deriving from various sources,
  including daily hassles, life changes, conflict,
  frustration, trauma, Type A behavior, and
  acculturation.
• Stress can activate the General Adaptation
  Syndrome, which is the bodys general response to
  stress. It is comprised of three stages (1) The
  alarm reaction stage, which is characterized by
  the mobilization of the bodys resources to cope
  with stressful demands (2) the resistance stage,
  which is characterized by the adaptation to
  continuing stress and conservation of bodily
  resources and (3) the exhaustion stage, which is
  characterized by the depletion of bodily
  resources and increased risk of physical and
  mental health problems.

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FULL CONCEPT MAP (Nevid, 2007)
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INTERACTIVE (FILL-IN) CONCEPT MAP
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RESULTSComprehension as Function of Study Note
Type
Mean quiz score
Study notes condition
9
I found the study notes useful
Mean rating
Study notes condition
10
I enjoyed using the study notes
Mean rating
Study notes condition
11
I found the study notes easy to use
Mean rating
Study notes condition
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RESULTS

• No main effect of study note type on
  comprehension, F(2,67) 1.012, pgt.05.
• Marginally significant effect of study note type
  on enjoyment, F(2,67)3.011, p.056.
• Significant effect of study note type on
  usefulness, F(2,67)3.102, p.05.
• No main effect of study note type on easy to
  use rating, F(2,67)2.424, p.096.

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DISCUSSION

• Why no map effect on comprehension
• Ceiling effect probable all means close to 4.5
  (out of six questions) quiz was open notes and
  no time limit
• Encouraging results about concept maps
• Students enjoyed full map more than text
  version
• Students found full maps more useful than text
  version
• Interactive map less easy and less
  enjoyable
• Possible reason Making the students more
  responsible for their learning may not be
  enjoyable, but should be effective way of
  learning Students may need more experience with
  the interactive version before finding it easy to
  use

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DISCUSSION

• FUTURE RESEARCH
• More sensitive measures of comprehension needed
• Lab-based study Measure comprehension with more
  sensitive test and measure quiz completion time
• TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
• Based on basic research, concept maps have great
  potential for increasing student involvement and
  active learning more research is needed to
  demonstrate the efficacy of these maps for
  lecture material and textbook readings.

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References

• Nevid, J. S. (2007). Concept maps for psychology
  A visual learning supplement to accompany
  Psychology Concepts and Applications (second
  edition). Boston Houghton Mifflin.
• Novick, L. R., Hurley, S.M. (2001). To matrix,
  network, or hierarchy That is the question.
  Cognitive Psychology, 42, 158-216.
• Novick, L. R. (2001). Spatial diagrams Key
  instruments in the toolbox for thought. In D.L.
  Medin (Ed.)The psychology of learning and
  motivation (vol. 40, pp. 279-325). San Diego
  Academic Press.