Chemistry courses remain a challenge for many undergraduate students. In particular, first-semester organic chemistry has been labeled as a gatekeeper with high attrition rates, especially among students of color. Our study examines a key factor related to conceptual understanding in science and predictive of course outcomes-knowledge structures.…

This study investigates Turkish students' knowledge structure coherence in physics. In particular, this study investigates the conflicting findings reported in Ioannides and Vosniadou's [Ioannides and Vosniadou [2002] "Cognitive Science Quarterly," 2, 5-61] and diSessa, Gillespie, and Esterly's [diSessa et al. [2004] "Cognitive…

Discussed is the relationship of concept-mapping by students to the meaningful learning of genetics and ecological concepts. The implications of these results for teacher education in biology are addressed. (KR)

Because concept maps are designed to find out what the learner knows about a subject and are, in effect, maps of cognition, this article synthesizes relevant facts, concepts, and principles from cartography and applies them to concept mapping. The metaphor of the map and its applicability for representing scientific concepts are discussed. (PR)

Examines the relationships and development of communities of concepts related to heat and convection among fifth grade students. Discusses the influence of familial and cultural experiences on conceptual development as well as the extent to which competing phenomena affect the development of new conceptual understandings. (Contains 49 references.)…

Investigated was the effect of concept mapping on science achievement. It was concluded that mapping concepts prior to, during, and subsequent to instruction led to greater achievement. (CW)

This article describes the genesis and development of concept mapping as a tool for science education. It also offers an overview of this special issue of the "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" and comments on the current state of knowledge representation. Suggestions for further research are made. (49 references) (Author/PR)

Describes how three biology textbooks present content related to photosynthesis through construct of elaboration. Concept maps were created for each textbook. Results are discussed in terms of quantity of elaboration, relevance of ideas used to elaborate major concepts, relationship of nature of elaboration to intended readers, and general…

This study sought to find out whether concept mapping reduces anxiety and thereby enhances achievement in biology. A total of 51 grade-10 students participated in the experiment. Findings indicate concept mapping is significantly more effective than traditional teaching in enhancing learning in biology and reducing student anxiety toward biology.…

(PR)

Selective illustrative examples of students' learning difficulties and misconceptions in first-year general and organic chemistry are presented in the students' terms, followed by strategies the author uses to overcome the difficulties. Suggests that student misconceptions in first-year chemistry are not interrelated logically and are not prone to…

Provides examples of how concept mapping can be used to help overcome misconceptions in college chemistry. (PR)

Concept mapping with "Learning Tool," a computerized mapping program, was used to assess changes in the content and organization of 17 preservice teachers' concept maps for the topic of effective teaching. This study illustrates how concept mapping can be useful in describing students' evolving constructions of knowledge in a particular…

Describes the "SemNet" software and some of its uses as an educational and research tool, with emphasis on the similarities and differences between concept mapping and semantic networking. (PR)

Concept mapping was used to tap the conceptual disciplinary (science subject) knowledge and pedagogical knowledge of seven biology and six geography teachers with short or long teaching experience. Results indicate that knowledge in both areas is unsatisfactory, experience does not improve the knowledge, and teachers mastered disciplinary…