Concept Mapping in Undergraduate Biology Courses: Effects on Students' Academic Self-Efficacy and Metacognitive Skills

• In Event: 66.080 - Science Teaching and Learning SIG Paper Session: Undergraduate Focus

Abstract

This study evaluated how concept mapping effects undergraduate biology students’ perceptions of their academic self-efficacy and metacognitive skills. The 43-item Self-Efficacy And Learning Survey (SEALS) was used with 255 experimental and 199 control group students during 2016-18. Results revealed slightly higher average item means for five of the seven scales during the posttest for concept mappers. Differences were statistically significant only for Metacognitive Self-Regulation (p<0.05) with a small effect size (d=0.23). Changes between the pretest–posttest within the concept-mapping group, were greatest for Organization and Peer Learning, with the latter being statistically significant (p<0.05) but with a small effect size (d=0.16). Surprisingly, students in both groups rated their self-efficacy as considerably lower (p<0.01; d=0.55) by the end of the course.

Authors

• Catherine Shelley Martin-Dunlop, Morgan State University

• Robert Javonillo, Morgan State University

• Ernest C. Steele, Morgan State University

• Erika Whitney, Morgan State University

• Viji Sitther, Morgan State University

• Yuejin Li, Morgan State University

• Samala Lewis, Morgan State University