Concept Maps as a Tool to Analyse College Students’ Knowledge of Geospatial Concepts

Abstract

This study focused on college students’ development of conceptual knowledge in geographic informationsystem (GIS). The aim of this study was to examine if and how students developed their conceptualknowledge during their enrollment in an introductory-level GIS course. Twelve undergraduate studentsconstructed 36 concept maps and revised 24 concept maps in three sessions. The author scored those 60concept maps in two different ways. The first method measured the degree to which concept maps werestructurally complex; the second method assessed the correctness of interrelationships between spatialconcepts shown in the maps. A statistical analysis of the scores obtained through the second methodsuggested that there was a significant difference between the maps created in the first session and the mapsrevised in the second session. Students could successfully revise their original concept maps at the middleof a semester. A mix of the two quantitative and qualitative methods had the potential to examine thedevelopment of students’ conceptual knowledge through multiple perspectives. Lastly, this study discusseshow concept maps can be applied to research and instructions. Concept maps can be used for exploringstudents’ understanding of spatial concepts.

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