This executive summary reports student perceptions about their concept mapping experiences in a foundational undergraduate engineering course. Innovations of the present study are described, followed by a description of research methods, data collection, example concept maps generated by students, and student perceptions of concept mapping. Based on the results of the present study, the top four reasons students liked concept mapping are 1) concept maps helped make connections among concepts; 2) concept maps helped review what students had learned; 3) concept maps helped visualize concepts; and 4) concept maps helped understand concepts. The top two reasons students disliked concept mapping are concept mapping was busy work and 2) concept maps did not help understand concepts. It is concluded that concept mapping should not be regarded as a universal tool to solve all problems. Diverse, active learning approaches are needed to address diverse needs of students.
Ning Fang is a Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University, U.S.A. He has taught a variety of courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels, such as engineering dynamics, metal machining, and design for manufacturing. His areas of interest include computer-assisted instructional technology, curricular reform in engineering education, and the modeling and optimization of manufacturing processes. He earned his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in mechanical engineering. He is a Senior Member of the Society for Manufacturing Engineering (SME), a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).
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