Concept mapping in high school: An experience on teaching geography to measure deep, surface and non-learning outcomes

Abstract

This study investigates to what extent conceptual maps can foster meaningful learning in high school students. Forty students of the discipline of Geography took part in the study. The students made a map during the second stage of research, and these maps were compared to other semi-structured ones made in the fourth stage. For the analysis of these maps we use the Hay’s (2007) methodology to measure deep, surface and non-learning. Nowadays students take tests with the objective of memorizing content, the rote learning continues to prevail in high school, using concepts maps in elementary and high school can change the future of our students. The results show that students need more time to practice concept maps, we observed progress in the development of concept maps, but no student achieved deep learning.