Dc. Rice et al., USING CONCEPT MAPS TO ASSESS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM - MUST DIFFERENT METHODS COMPETE, Journal of research in science teaching, 35(10), 1998, pp. 1103-1127
This yearlong study was implemented in seventh-grade life science clas
ses with the students' regular teacher serving as teacher/researcher.
In the study, a method of scoring concept maps was developed to assess
knowledge and comprehension levels of science achievement. By linking
scoring of concept maps to instructional objectives, scores were base
d upon the correctness of propositions. High correlations between the
concept map scores and unit multiple choice tests provided strong evid
ence of the content validity of the map scores. Similarly, correlation
s between map scores and state criterion-referenced and national norm-
referenced standardized tests were indicators of high concurrent valid
ity. The approach to concept map scoring in the study represents a dis
tinct departure from traditional methods that focus on characteristics
such as hierarchy and branching. A large body of research has demonst
rated the utility of such methods in the assessment of higher-level le
arning outcomes. The results of the study suggest that a concept map m
ight be used in assessing declarative and procedural knowledge, both o
f which have a place in the science classroom. One important implicati
on of these results is that science curriculum and its corresponding a
ssessment need not be dichotomized into knowledge/comprehension versus
higher-order outcomes. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.