The Use of Concept Maps as a Tool to Measure Higher Level Thinking Skills in Elementary School Science Classes

Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists

卷:5

关键词: higher level thinking skills;    gifted students;    concept maps;    multiple choice tests;    Bloom’s Taxonomy;   

DOI  :  http://dx.doi.org/10.17478/JEGYS.2016221898

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The need for assessing higher level thinking skills and using appropriate evaluationmethods in programs for the gifted is necessary to better evaluate the effectivenessof these programs. The purpose of this study was to test the claim of Novak andGowin (1984) that concept maps required higher level thinking skills. A relatedpurpose of the study was to assess which type of measure, a multiple choice test orconcept maps, could yield a more accurate or detailed picture of the gains in contentunderstanding of students performing at the highest level on the instruments. Amixed method research design was used to answer the research questions. Weconcluded that concept maps and multiple choice tests did not measure or requirethe same thinking skills because of non-significant correlations between the twoinstruments. Three judges’ qualitative analysis also indicated that the number of itemsrequiring higher level thinking skills on multiple choice tests was limited. Conceptmapping as a whole process and the crosslinks component of concept mappingrequired analysis or higher level thinking skills. Also we concluded that conceptmapping as a whole process has the potential to show greater gains in scores of thestudents than the multiple choice items, and crosslinks component of conceptmapping that required analysis or higher level thinking skills. To have an alignmentbetween the curricula of programs for gifted students and assessment methods usedin these programs, the search for assessment methods requiring higher thinking skillsis necessary and needs more investigation.

【 授权许可】

Unknown