Concept map as a teaching and learning tool for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cognitive Science
• Learning Technologies

Background:

• Concept maps offer potential for concept formulation and learning evaluation.
• Limited research exists on concept maps as a teaching tool for medical students in India.
• This study addresses the unexplored use of concept maps in Indian medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of concept maps in improving learning among medical students.
• To evaluate concept maps as a pedagogical tool in medical training.
• To explore the impact of concept mapping on medical students' knowledge acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A study involving III MBBS students from two batches.
• Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess knowledge before and after concept map intervention.
• Concept maps were used to teach tuberculosis, followed by a post-test and student feedback.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in scores from pre-test (4 ± 1.593) to post-test (10 ± 0.762) was observed (P < 0.0001).
• Over 50% of students achieved full marks in the post-test, compared to none in the pre-test.
• Students provided positive feedback (82.09%) regarding the use of concept maps.

Conclusions:

• Concept maps are an effective tool for enhancing teaching and learning in medical education.
• Concept maps facilitate meaningful learning and deeper understanding of complex concepts.
• Wider adoption of concept maps is recommended for medical students to improve comprehension.