Understanding and uses of concept mapping in teaching Natural Science: Cases of two primary schools in Windhoek, Khomas region
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Date
2015
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the Grade six Natural Science teachers’
understanding of concept mapping. The study also investigated learners’ understanding of science concepts on “matter and its properties” taught through the use of concept mapping as compared to traditional lecture method. The study was conducted with two science teachers who taught Natural Science to Grade six, thirty-three learners at Alpha Primary School and thirty-seven learners at Omega Primary School in the Khomas Educational Region, Namibia. Mixed research methods were used. A semi-structured interview schedule and a video recorder were used to collect data from teachers. The researcher was an active participant in the collection of data and a video recorder was also used to capture his own instructions. A pre- and post-tests were conducted in order to find out the difference in learners’ understanding of “matter and its properties” when taught through concept mapping as compared to traditional lecture method. Each test had 22 items. All learners were given the same pre-test, followed by an intervention (treatment) and then a post-test was administered. Learners at Alpha Primary School were taught through the traditional lecture method while those at Omega Primary School were taught through the concept mapping method. The scores on both tests were analysed to see if there are statistically significant difference between learners’ understanding of “matter and its properties” taught through the concept mapping and those taught through the traditional lecture methods. It was found that learners taught through concept mapping out-performed those who were taught through the traditional lecture at statistically significant difference of alpha 0.05. That means that the overall critical value of 1.998 is significant (t-tests = -4.574 and -2.830, at p < 0.05). As the critical value of 1.998 obtained for the degree of freedom (df) = 63, p = .000. The calculated t-value is higher than the critical value, therefore, the Null hypothesis is rejected and the results are significant at p = 0.05. The study also found that both science teachers have vague ideas about what the concept mapping strategy was hence they did not even use the strategy in their instructions.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education
Keywords
Mapping, Natural science, Teaching