Effects of Concept and Vee Mappings Under Three Learning Modes on Students' Attitudes Towards the Mappings, Learning Modes, Ecology and Genetics

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of concept and vee mappings under cooperative, cooperative-competitive and individualistic learning modes, ability levels and gender on students' attitudes towards concept and vee mappings, the three learning modes, ecology and genetics. A pre-test-post-test experiment, with control groups, involving 808 eleventh grade (fourth form) students, was used for data collection. Students taught the use of concept and vee mappings, under cooperative conditions, developed superior positive attitudes towards the two heuristics, ecology and genetics, compared with those taught under cooperative-competitive and individualistic conditions. Statistically significant differences in their attitudes were due mainly to treatment and ability. High ability students developed the most superior positive attitudes to concept and vee mappings, ecology and genetics. Students' attitudes towards cooperation were mostly positive but totally negative to individualisation and mostly negative to competition. Students' positive attitudes to ecology and genetics correlated negatively with their attitudes towards competition and individualisation. The implications of the study's findings for the teaching of science are addressed.

Descriptors::

• Concept and vee mapping
• learning modes
• cooperative learning
• attitudes