• Dr. Vandana Gupta

An exponential increase in knowledge has ushered in the age of science. To train our budding scientists in this new knowledge it is essential to develop in them the spirit of inquiry and divergent thinking abilities so that they get accustomed to the continuous process of knowledge acquisition through self-learning. Thinking in cognitive domain envisages abilities such as concept formation, reasoning, problem solving, creativity, etc. Of the above four, concept formation is the most fundamental cognitive process because while the others remain essential skills, concepts become relatively permanent cognitive structures that provide the basic bearing for further learning. Thus acquisition of the fundamental concepts lays a strong foundation for building of complex structures in any discipline. The need of concepts to develop a meaningful base has led to the emergence of numerous teaching methods and techniques. Based on this need various teaching strategies can broadly be classified into the deductive and the inductive categories. The origin of Concept Mapping, which is based on the deductive approach, lies in Ausubel's theory of meaningful verbal learning. Though Concept Mapping has been a favorite subject of research in the western world in the present decade, it is yet to attract the attention of researchers in India. The need to probe the potential of Concept Mapping in the Indian scenario motivated the investigator to study the effectiveness of this versatile technique in pedagogical processes. The investigator went a step further by comparing the effectiveness of Concept Mapping with an equally challenging General Inductive Model developed by Paul D.Eggen and Donald P.Kauchak. This Inductive Model differs from other inductive approach based models developed by Bruce Joyce and Marsha Weil in that while the former has an open structure and can be flexibly molded according to the needs of the learning process (though within the prescribed framework), the latter are highly objective models catering to a rigid syntax. II. THE PROBLEM The focus questions of the present study are: (1) As compared to the Conventional Method, do Concept Mapping and Inductive Model foster better conceptual learning and retention? (ii) Which of the two strategies, Concept Mapping or Inductive Model, lead to inculcation of concept comprehensibility and applicability in an effective manner? III. DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS The key terms inherent in the statement of the problem are defined in operational terms. 1. Effectiveness Effectiveness is a relative, rather than an absolute, concept. It deals with the question: how effective a particular strategy is? Here effectiveness refers to the gain score ratios of the pupils on the criterion test (post-test I and post-test II) after they have been exposed to different instructional strategies. 2. Teaching Teaching implies an act of helping someone to learn i.e. it is an act of helping someone to acquire knowledge, attitudes, ideas, habits or some other type of learning, which he did not posses previously. Teaching is a purposeful activity aimed at imparting knowledge or skill. Teaching is the stimulus and learning is the response. 3. Teaching Strategies/Models These are thematically related techniques designed to help students accomplish pre-established objectives. Teaching strategies are characterised by a planned sequence of actions so as to perform the task of managing specific learning experiences. Models of teaching differ from general teaching strategies, as they are prescriptive in nature and designed to achieve specific goals. When a teacher identifies a goal and selects a particular strategy designed to reach that goal, it can be said that the teacher is using model approach. The teaching strategies/models used in the study are presented in the following section.

DEVELOPING CONCEPT MAPPING MODEL AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO TEACH SCIENCE

"DEVELOPING CONCEPT MAPPING MODEL AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO TEACH SCIENCE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 1, page no.470-480, January-2020, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2001061.pdf

"DEVELOPING CONCEPT MAPPING MODEL AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO TEACH SCIENCE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.7, Issue 1, page no. pp470-480, January-2020, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2001061.pdf