Thesis
Impact of increased exposure to collaborative concept maps on critical thinking in kindergarten
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100479
Abstract
Critical thinking is pervasive across domains and has been shown to lead to better learning and transfer outcomes enabling students to make logical and unbiased decisions. There has been little research about critical thinking of kindergarten students, particularly with the use of concept maps. This study fills this important gap by examining the effect of collaborative concept maps in large groups and in dyads on critical thinking in two kindergarten classrooms with differential exposures to concept maps. Participants in classroom A had 5 exposures to concept maps while those in Classroom B had 3 exposures to concept maps. A quasi-experimental between group study was conducted over a seven week period in a low income, predominantly white populated public school in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America to investigate the impact of collaborative concept maps on critical thinking skills of analysis and interpretation of kindergarten students. The analysis shows statistically significant difference [Lambda]=0.84, F(3,165)=10.17, p=<0.0001 between the two classes with class A outperforming class B, particularly in the critical thinking skill of analysis. Further analysis revealed that within class A, there were statistically significant differences between students in above average, average and below average academic standing, [Lambda]=0.47, F(6,160)=12.31, p=<0.0001, and between student aged five, six and seven years, [Lambda]=0.68, F(3,81)=12.77, p=<0.0001, indicating that the impact may be subject to age and prior knowledge (operationalized as academic standing) differences. Additionally, transcripts from videos and notes from observations of classrooms A and B suggest that classroom environment, teacher scaffolding, peer discussion and the topic of concept map itself may influence the impact of increased exposure to collaborative concept mapping could impact critical thinking skills of analysis and interpretation, particularly skills of analysis. In summary, this study contributes to research by adopting a method, measure and approach relatively unused with young children and contributes to classroom practice by demonstrating the potential of teachers to use collaborative concept maps in the classroom on subjects required by state standards while simultaneously nurturing critical thinking skills.
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Details
- Title
- Impact of increased exposure to collaborative concept maps on critical thinking in kindergarten
- Creators
- Narayankripa Sundararajan
- Contributors
- Olusola O. Adesope (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Educational Leadership, Sport Studies, and Educational/Counseling Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525109401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis