Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism

Use of Concept Map as a reinforcement tool in Undergraduate Curriculum: An analytical study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

KAUSHIK MUKHOPADHYAY 1
SONALI MUKHERJEE 1
ARCHANA DHOK 2
CHANDAN CHATTERJEE 1
JOYA GHOSH 1

1 Department of Pharmacology, ESIC Medical College, 23 Diamond Harbor Road, Joka, Kolkata, India

2 Department of Biochemistry, JNMC, Wardha, India

https://doi.org/10.30476/jamp.2019.74920
Abstract
Introduction: Ever-expanding medical literature demands successful amalgamation of huge information and clinical practice for budding doctors. This study aimed to find the effectiveness
of the concept map, a novel method of teaching to improve performance among undergraduate pharmacology students.
Methods: The undergraduate medical students pursuing pharmacology in 2017-18 in our institute was divided into two groups after stratified randomization based on the last semester grades. After a session of didactic lecture on ‘Drugs affecting Calcium Metabolism’ and a pre-test, one group was taught using traditional tutorial methods and another group using the concept map method. Finally, a post-test was taken and feedback received from the intervention group.
Results: A significant improvement of student performance was found in both groups using validated questionnaire from pre-test to post-test. There was no significant difference in the percentage
of improvement between the groups. This finding was consistent in both Low scorers and High scorers of the previous semester examination. Students found the new method better in terms of
understanding the concept and interactivity.
Conclusion: Concept mapping encourages the students to actively participate and get a comprehensive and accurate overview of the topic, but the improvement in performance in the test was not evident.

Keywords

Concept map
Medical teaching
Feedback
Curriculum
1. Singh V, Kharb P. A paradigm shift from teaching
to learning gross anatomy: meta-analysis of
implications for instructional methods. J Anat Soc
India. 2013;62(1):84–9.
2. Saulnier BM. From “Sage on the Stage” to “Guide on
the Side” Revisited: (Un)Covering the Content in the
Learner-Centered Information Systems Course. Inf
Syst Educ J. 2009;7(60).
3. Dinarvand G, Vaisi-raygani A. Brief Communication
The Effect of Task-based Teaching via Drawing the
Concept Map of Metabolic Pathways as Homework
on the Academic Achievement of Pharmaceutical
Students in Biochemistry Course. Educ Res Med Sci.
2013;2(1):26–8.
4. West DC, Pomeroy JR, Park JK, Gerstenberger EA,
Sandoval J. Critical thinking in graduate medical
education: A role for concept mapping assessment?
JAMA. 2000;284(9):1105–10.
5. Ghosh J, Pradhan RVS. Concept map as a reinforcement
method of teaching biochemistry. Indian J Basic Appl
Med Res. 2016;5(3):659–66.
6. Ausubel DP. Educational Psychology: A Cognitive
View. US: Holt, Rinehart and Winston; 1968.
7. Novak JD, Gowin DB. Learning how to learn. New
York: Cambridge University Press; 1984.
8. Daley BJ, Torre DM. Concept maps in medical
education: An analytical literature review. Med Educ.
2010;44(5):440–8.
9. Canas AJ, Coffey JW, Hoffman RRR, Novak JDJD,
Cañas AJ, Carnot MJ, et al. A Summary of Literature
Pertaining to the Use of Concept Mapping Techniques
and Technologies for Education and Performance
Support. Educ Train. 2003; 3:1–108.
10. Surapaneni KM, Tekian A. Concept mapping
enhances learning of biochemistry. Med Educ Online.
2013;18:1–4.
11. Kwas H, Ghédira H. Use of the concept mapping
in teaching during a medical rotation of interns: an
exploratory study. Tunis Med. 2017;95(12):229–33.
12. Qadir F, Zehra T, Khan I. Use of concept mapping as a
facilitative tool to promote learning in pharmacology.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pakistan. 2011;21(8):476–81
13. Baig M, Tariq S, Rehman R, Ali S, Gazzaz ZJ. Concept
mapping improves academic performance in problem
solving questions in biochemistry subject. Pakistan J
Med Sci. 2016;32(4):801–5.
14. Hsu LL, Pan HC, Hsieh SI. Randomized comparison
between objective-based lectures and outcome-based
concept mapping for teaching neurological care to
nursing students. Nurse Educ Today. 2016;37:83–90.
15. Gonzalez HL, Palencia AP, Umana LA, Galindo
L, Villafrade MLA. Mediated learning experience
and concept maps: a pedagogical tool for achieving
meaningful learning in medical physiology students.
AJP Adv Physiol Educ. 2008;32(4):312–6.
Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism
Volume 7, Issue 3
July 2019
Pages 118-122

Home

Guide for Authors

Fee

Forms

Submit Manuscript

Guide for Reviewers

Contact Us