Concept mapping as a learning strategy in introductory biology laboratories

 

Amy Marion and Ralph Preszler

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2005, Volume 26

Abstract

This workshop presents new data regarding the effectiveness of student-designed concept maps as a learning tool in introductory biology laboratories. Our introductory biology lab courses have traditionally used short quizzes at the beginning of each lab period as an incentive to encourage students to read the exercise before lab. Because students have not performed the lab at the time they take the quiz, the quizzes usually are composed of objective questions that evaluate a student’s recall of the general purpose of the lab exercise and a few terms defined in the lab manual. To help students develop a stronger conceptual framework for understanding the lab exercise, we have begun to incorporate concept maps into our introductory laboratories. To assess the effectiveness of concept maps in comparison to quizzes, instructors teaching two different laboratory sections have conducted one section in the traditional manner of administering quizzes at the beginning of each lab, and a second section of the same course using concept mapping. Students were instructed in the design of concept maps, and they developed their own maps for each lab exercise. I will present comparisons of student performance in traditional lab sections and sections using concept mapping. Workshop participants will also have an opportunity to work in teams to develop a concept map for a biology lab exercise.

Keywords:  concept mapping

Bowling Green State University, Ohio (2004)