Philippine E-Journals

Collaborative concept mapping and the academic achievement of Biology students in Ecology

Ivy B. Yecyec

Discipline: Biology, Education, Cognitive Learning

 

Abstract:

The study determines the effect of collaborative concept mapping on the academic achievement in Ecology of two heterogenous groups of second year students enrolled at the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College Integrated Basic Education High School Department. One group served as experimental treatment group and the other as the experimental control group. Following controlled experimental design, data sources for this study include achievement tests, checklists on students’ attitudes and skills, teacher-made activities and FGD.

Findings reveal that students exposed to collaborative concept mapping performed better basic processes, oral communication, listening, and writing skills, attitudes, and achievement than those who were taught through the traditional method. There is a significant difference in the basic processes, oral communication, and writing skills as well as in the attitudes in performing the activities in favor of the experimental group. There is no significant difference, however, in the listening skills in performing activities and in the mean gain scores of the control and experimental groups.

With the use of collaborative concept mapping as a teaching strategy, students develop good attitudes and values as they engage in collaborative and creative work. Learning is deemed more meaningful and effective when students are actively involved and cooperate in learning and exploring concepts.

Students exposed to collaborative concept mapping have better academic achievement than those under expository method. Collaborative concept mapping and the use of varied activities further make learning more fun, challenging, and meaningful. It is as effective as the lecture method in teaching Ecology.

Lxiv