Implementation and Assessment of a Concept Map Intervention in a Large Enrollment General Chemistry Course

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In an effort to improve students’ conceptual understanding of key general chemistry topics, concept maps were employed in 1st year introductory chemistry courses. A concept map is a diagram that allows students to connect concepts learned in a subject together. A general chemistry course taught in Fall 2017 was designed as a quasi-experiment. One half of the recitation sections were tasked with completing a weekly concept map (treatment group), and one-half of the recitation sections were tasked with completing a weekly journal entry (control group). All other lecture activities were identical for the two groups. For Fall 2017, ANCOVA and Multiple Regression were used to compare results between concept inventory and final exam scores. The results from a survey given pre and post course were compared using a Chi square analysis. There were no statistical differences found between the groups. The quasi-experiment was repeated in Spring of 2018 but more guidance was given by the TA, and the concept maps were used as an exam review tool. For Spring 2018, ANCOVA and multiple regression were used again to analyze concept inventory and final exam scores. A multiple regression was carried out to compare the final exam scores between the treatment and control groups, while holding constant student background covariates. The unstandardized B for the concept map treatment was -8.609 (p=0.25). However when the highest performing students were compared, based on their scores on the concept map and journal entry scoring rubrics, the unstandardized B for the concept map treatment was 14.599 (p=0.224). A multiple regression analysis was also carried out to compare the performance on a concept inventory. Though no significant difference between the treatment and control groups was observed when the entire study population was included, when the top 33% of students was analyzed separately (based on concept map and journal entry scoring rubrics) the concept map treatment had an unstandardized B of 1.210 (p=0.026). Survey results for Spring 2018 were analyzed using Chi square and Mann Whitney-U. The concept map treatment group was observed to have significantly more positive responses for questions Understanding of Acid-base Chemistry (c² = 7.361; p = 0.025) and How ideas we will explore in this class relate to ideas encountered in other classes within this subject area (c² = 6.685; p = 0.035). Based on the results presented herein, it appears carrying out interventions that help students become more proficient in constructing concept maps can have positive impacts on both student performance and attitude.