Journal of Research in Science Education
Online ISSN : 2187-509X
Print ISSN : 1345-2614
ISSN-L : 1345-2614
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Study for the Potential Enhancement of the Understanding of Continuity of Life Concepts in the Unit of “Reproduction and Development of Animals” through the Use of Concept Group Mapping
Makiko TAKAYAMAAsami OHNUKI
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2014 Volume 55 Issue 3 Pages 363-369

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Abstract

The concept mapping method was used as a study tool to understand more about the concept groups relating to the continuity of life at the end of the study of “Reproduction and Development of Animals” in Biology I in high school. This practice was performed three times from 2010 to 2012. In the first practice, 18.1% of the learners could not notice the connections between different learning units and could not make a complete map using whole concepts of the study (level 1). Therefore, in the second and third practices, a teacher instructed learners to create one concept map using all the concept labels. As a result, it was found that 96.3% of the learners in the second practice and 100% of the learners in the third practice were able to connect the concept labels between different learning units and complete a map (level 2). Only 1% of maps from the learners of the first practice showed the continuity of life cycle concepts (level 3), but it was present in 80% of maps form the second and third practices. From the analysis of the learners’ feedback, it was evident that the learners noticed and understood the meaning of the activities much more successfully when concept group mapping was utilized.

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© ©2014 Society of Japan Science Teaching
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