Looking Inside a Student’s Mind: Can An Analysis of Student Concept Maps Measure Changes in Environmental Literacy?

This study examined hand drawn concept maps from 34 students, ages 17 – 55, enrolled in a community college environmental biology class. Maps were collected three times during the semester-long course, and analyzed using graphical representation and structural analysis to determine the level of complexity at which students organized and learned the content of environmental science. Graphical changes within concept maps showed a significant increase in the number of complex network-style concept maps generated with a Chi-square analysis calculated a x.05 2(2) = 7.52, which exceeds the critical value of 5.99. Structural components within concept maps measured linear increases in the number of nodes, links, and link terms or propositions used. Map components increased by 29% and 35% for nodes and links respectively, and by the end of the semester, measured a 70% increase in proposition usage. In conclusion, significant increases in map propositions and graphical complexity support how students develop skills in articulation of knowledge and demonstrate a more literate understanding of environmental science content