Concept mapping – increased potential as a retrieval-based task

ABSTRACT

Concept mapping is a practical task for enhancing learning performance. Learners usually construct concept maps while studying the learning material or after studying. In the first case, the learning material is available during construction, and learners are less involved in retrieval practice from memory (study-based concept mapping; SCM). In the second case, the learning material is absent during construction, and the learners rely on retrieving information from memory (retrieval-based concept mapping, RCM). RCM is assumed to be associated with lower concept map quality and higher cognitive load but better elaboration and learning performance than SCM. This study investigated how the availability of the learning material influenced these variables in biology classrooms. Unlike other studies, this study provided learners with an authentic learning environment and prior concept mapping training. After the concept mapping training, n = 129 secondary school students were assigned to an SCM or RCM condition in a quasi-experimental design. As expected, students in the RCM condition constructed concept maps of lower quality but outperformed SCM students concerning elaboration activities and learning performance. The perceived intrinsic cognitive load was higher in the RCM condition. The results indicate that using concept mapping as a retrieval practice could support students’ learning in biology.

KEYWORDS:

• Concept mapping
• cognitive load
• elaboration
• retrieval practice
• testing effect

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers for their valuable feedback, which has significantly improved our manuscript. We also thank Britta Mörs for her insightful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Additionally, we extend our appreciation to the students of the module “Research Projects in Biology Education” for their assistance in developing survey materials and supporting data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in OSF at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RW67C

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) [grant number GR 4763/2-1].