Abstract

• The main purpose of this research is to study the effectiveness of concept mapping in teaching science at the middle school level. A concept map is a schematic device for representing a set of interrelated, interconnected conceptual meanings. There are three essential steps to create concept maps: (a) a list of concepts, (b) lines that represent the relational links between these concepts, and (c) labels for these linking relationships. In this study, Ausubel’s model of meaningful learning was applied to develop the lesson plans including concept maps that implement into experimental study. According to the format of that design, (7) sample lessons of learning materials were constructed. The target population is Grade Seven students from Basic Education High School, Dagon Township and Basic Education High School, Mingaladon Township. Simple random sampling method was used. Therefore, (120) students and (4) science teachers participated in it. The instruments in this study were a pretest and a posttest. Learning materials were selected from Chapter (5), The Earth and Space, from Grade Seven science textbook. To study the effectiveness of concept mapping in teaching science, one of the true experimental designs, pretest-posttest control group design was used. The data were analyzed. Independent samples t test was used to test the hypotheses of this study. The result of this study shows that there was a significant difference in the science achievement of Grade Seven students who receive instruction with concept mapping and those who do not. The results also indicated that when students are exposed to concept mapping, they achieved significantly better in performing knowledge, comprehension and application level science questions than other students. It verifies that concept mapping in science teaching brings positive effects on students’ science learning at the middle school level. Hence, concept mapping can be integrated in science teaching and learning in the classroom.