Karen Parks, Haibei Zhang, Huong Hoang

1
EPSY 335 Learning Theories
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CONCEPT MAP PROJECT

• Karen Parks, Haibei Zhang, Huong Hoang
• -Fall 2001-

2
Introduction

• The lesson
• is part of a unit in 10th grade Advanced Biology,
  entitled The Cycling of Energy and Matter
  through the Earths Ecosystem
• is half way through this multiple-lesson unit

3
Introduction

• Objectives of the lesson
• help students understand the structural and
  functional relationships between and among
  organic chemicals
• provide a foundation for understanding the
  cycling of matter and energy between the soil,
  atmosphere and living organisms in the ecosystem

4
Introduction

• Difficulties encountered by the students
• Misconception
• Confusion
• Difficult to remember

5
SOLUTION

• Learning Theories
• David Ausubels Cognitive Psychology(basis of
  Concept Map)
• Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory

6
Ausubel's cognitive psychology

• Meaningfulness
• Students need to employ meaningful learning
  rather than rote learning (memorization) to
  promote higher order thinking and retention of
  knowledge.
• Assimilation
• Learning takes place by the assimilation of new
  concepts and propositions into existing concept
  propositional frameworks held by the learner.
• Advance Organizers can be used

7
Cognitive Structure

• Cognitive structure is hierarchically organized
• Concepts in cognitive structure undergo
  progressive differentiation,
• Integrative reconciliation occurs when two or
  more concepts are recognized as relatable

8
Concept Mapping

• A powerful tool for organizing and representing
  knowledge

9
Research Findings

• Consistent correlations between quality of
  concept map and student achievement
• Concept maps could be used to distinguish experts
  from novices within a domain
• Ruiz-Primo and Shavelson (1996)
• Concept map enhances student achievements in
• Multiple-choice measure of misconceptions
• Fill-in-blank concept map instrument
• General measure of concept relatedness
• Zeilik et al. (1997)
• Combining concept map with lecture resulted in
  significantly better learning and retention
• Cliburn(1990)

10
Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory

• Social environment is critical for learning
• Social environment influences cognition through
  cultural tools
• Zone of Proximal Development
• Learners also bring their own understandings to
  social interactions
• The use of instructional scaffolding

11
Lesson PlanApplying Ausubels Cognitive
Psychology/Concept Mapping

• Concept maps will
• mirror the way ideas and knowledge are organized
  in the learners cognitive structures
• Be useful for reviewing knowledge and allow
  students to assess prior knowledge
• uncover misconceptions
• help students to organize knowledge and focus on
  important concepts
• The visual map helps students remember the lesson
  better

12
Lesson PlanApplying Vygotskys Sociocultural
Theory/Cooperative Grouping

• Requiring students to work together in
  cooperative groups so that
• Social interaction brings about higher motivation
• Some group members will be in the ZPD, and others
  will provide support to advance their learning
• Cognitive incongruity requires the group members
  to develop a common understanding by correcting
  misconceptions
• Through rich dialog, learners process information
  using more elaboration and establish more
  propositions in their cognitive structures,
  increasing the depth of understanding and
  retention of knowledge
• Dialog between students and construction of maps
  provides the teacher with a clear visual model of
  students cognitive structures.

13
Integration of Technology

• A number of software has been develop to build
  concept maps
• Inspiration is one of them
• It is possible to use Inspiration for Karens
  lesson
• An example of concept map produced by Inspiration

14
(No Transcript)
15
Advantages of Technology

• Easy to use
• Possible to draw the map quickly
• Easy to modify the map
• Possible to produce beautiful and clear maps

16
Disadvantages of Technology

• Expensive method (requires computers and may be
  printers for large size papers)
• Less individual involvement than the manual
  method as not much work is required -gt sometimes
  less exciting

17
CritiqueAusubel/Concept Mapping

• Not all knowledge can be arranged in a
  hierarchical order
• Extensive training is required
• It does not work well for direct teaching or
  recall of rote learning
• Time consuming
• Some students are uncomfortable with it
• It can only be combined with Constructivist
  methods

18
CritiqueVygotsky/Cooperative Grouping

• Must be designed to give each individual in the
  group a responsibility for accountability.
• Requires training of students in cooperative
  behaviors and responsibilities.
• Requires continuous monitoring and feedback from
  the teacher.
• It can promote misconception without monitoring
• Time consuming

19
Reference

• Ivie, Stanley D. Ausubels Learning Theory An
  Approach to Teaching Higher Order Thinking
  Skills, High School Journal. Oct. 1998 Vol.
  82,, i1, p.35.
• Novak, Joseph P. and Gowan, D. Bob. Learning How
  to Learn, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
  1984.
• Romance, Nancy R. and Vitale, Michael R. Concept
  Mapping as a Tool for Learning, College
  Teaching. Spring, 1999 Vol.47, i2, p74.
• Sandoval, Jonathan. Teaching in Subject Matter
  Areas Science, Annual Review of Psychology.
  1995 Vol.46, p355.
• Schunk, Dale H. Learning Theories, and
  educational Perspective, 3rd Ed., Prentice Hall,
  1996.
• http//cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/info/
• http//www.utc.edu/Teaching-Resource-Center/concep
  ts.html
• http//158.132.100.221/CMWkshp_folder/CncptMapp.Wk
  shop.html
• http//users.edte.utwente.nl/lanzing/cm_home.htm
• http//www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/proc3abstracts.htmlAhlb
  erg-MeaningfulLearnin
• http//www-personal.umich.edu/cberger/compmapanal
  ysis.htm
• http//www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/mathews/Ohio_
  Project/reports/PDF_files/SLBretz.PDF
• http//www.dean.usma.edu/math/activities/cape/asse
  ssment/concept_mapping.htm
• http//www.aals.org/profdev/newideas/athomas.html
• http//www.spjc.edu/SPG/Science/Lancraft/cmapping/
  cmapping.htmlA1
• http//ericit.org/digests/mapping.shtml

20
Thank you for your attention