The thought of teaching English literature has been the main concern for many English teachers as they are not trained to teach literature in schools. In relation to this, students are not motivated to learn literature. The study investigated the effect of using concept maps as a learning tool on students' motivation to learn English literature. Seventy students from a secondary school in a rural area of Sarawak participated in this study.
The research design used was a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design method. Data were gathered on students' learning achievements in both pre-tests and post-tests for two different topics (Characters and Moral Values) in the short stories which were taught as part of the literature component and students' perception on motivation in using concept maps by using Students' Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) with a reliability coefficient of 0.911.
A t-test, descriptive statistics, and one-way ANOVA statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. The findings suggested that students taught using concept maps being one of the teaching and learning tools had a higher level of motivation and obtained a significantly higher mean score on pre-test compared to post-test (Characters).
The findings further indicated that following the familiarization program, there is no significant difference between male and female students for the first topic (Characters) but showed a significant difference in the second topic, Moral Values (t = 2.10; p<0.04).
Another indication was that different ethnicities in using concept maps did not show any significant difference for both topics. More than 90% of the students agreed that using concept map really helps and motivates them in learning English literature. Therefore, it can be concluded that student-generated concept maps is a motivating learning tool in an English literature classroom. Discussion and implications of these findings on current practice were also mentioned in this study.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objectives of the research
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Limitations of study
1.6 Operational Definitions
1.7 Significant of study
1.8 Theoretical Framework
1.9 Summary of the chapter
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Concept map
2.2 Concept map in education
2.2.1 Concept map as a learning tool
2.3 KBSM Syllabus
2.3.1 Learning Literature
2.3.2 Alternative approaches to the teaching of literature
2.4 Motivation
2.4.1 Motivation for Learning
2.5 Summary of this chapter
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Participants
3.3 Instruments
3.3.1 Essay test
3.3.2 Students’ Motivation Questionnaire
3.4 Procedure of the study
3.4.1 Qualitative concept map content analysis
3.5 Data Collection
3.6 Data Analysis
3.7 Summary of this chapter
CHAPTER IV FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Findings
4.1.1 Demographic Information
4.1.2 The effect of using concept map
4.1.3 The motivation of using concept map
4.1.4 Gender
4.1.5 Ethnicity
4.2 Summary of this chapter
CHAPTER V DISCUSSIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Discussions
5.2 Summary of this chapter
CHAPTER VI LIMITATIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION
6.0 Introduction
6.1 Limitations of the study
6.2 Implications of the study
6.3 Suggestions for future research
6.4 Conclusion
Objectives & Themes
This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of using concept maps as a pedagogical tool to improve student motivation and performance in the English literature curriculum within a secondary school context in Malaysia.
- The impact of concept mapping on student motivation in English literature learning.
- The influence of teaching methods on student achievement in literature assessments (Characters and Moral Values).
- Comparative analysis of student performance based on gender and ethnicity.
- The integration of concept maps as a cognitive scaffolding tool in ESL classrooms.
Excerpt from the Book
1.0 Introduction
With the advent of globalization due to the Information Age, our society has witnessed the democratization of education for the masses. School teachers have been trained to teach or use their expertise to convey required knowledge to school children regardless of their gender, ethnic, family background or social status. This diversity gives teachers the freedom to integrate all the appropriate teaching skills to suit the learning process within any subject.
However, teachers have to bear in mind that in a classroom, they have to consider many factors like classroom environment, learning styles and learning preferences. With the proper identification of these two types of learning (learning styles and learning preferences), teachers can easily plan a lesson which suits all the students and which achieves the objective(s) of that particular lesson.
Today, issues concerning the decreasing standard of English in school are rising with pressures from all sides definitely show that solutions should be achieved in order to have improvement. Thus, it is also essential for a language teacher to know the necessary skills to engage students with different learning styles and strategies in the classroom to help improve the standard of English. In the past, teaching was standing at the front of the room and having all students looking and “tuning” into you. The brain is not programmed to do that – at least for not very long. Student diversity has forced teachers to explore various strategies to meet individual needs.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the context of English language education in Malaysia, highlighting the declining standards and the need for new pedagogical approaches like concept mapping to motivate students.
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter examines previous studies regarding concept maps, the KBSM syllabus, and motivation, establishing the theoretical framework for using visual tools in ESL literature instruction.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the quasi-experimental design, the participant demographics, and the instruments, including the Students' Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) and essay-based assessments.
CHAPTER IV FINDINGS: This chapter presents the statistical data from pre-tests and post-tests, alongside survey results, demonstrating the impact of concept mapping on motivation and performance.
CHAPTER V DISCUSSIONS: This chapter evaluates the research findings in relation to existing literature, exploring why concept mapping proved effective for certain literature topics and student groups while noting limitations.
CHAPTER VI LIMITATIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION: This chapter outlines the study's constraints, provides recommendations for educators and policymakers, and concludes that concept mapping is a viable motivational tool in English literature classrooms.
Keywords
Concept mapping, English literature, Student motivation, ESL, Malaysia, Secondary school, Teaching strategies, Learning tools, Academic achievement, Gender differences, Ethnicity, Classroom engagement, Pedagogical innovation, KBSM, Literature education
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation focuses on exploring the effectiveness of using concept maps as a learning tool to enhance student motivation and achievement in an English literature classroom within a rural Malaysian secondary school.
What are the central themes of the research?
The research explores pedagogical strategies for literature instruction, the role of learner motivation, the impact of visual cognitive tools, and demographic factors such as gender and ethnicity in the learning process.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if concept maps can successfully increase student engagement and performance in literature assessments, specifically when analyzing topics like characters and moral values.
Which scientific methods were utilized?
The study employed a quasi-experimental design, utilizing both quantitative data (pre-tests, post-tests, t-tests, and ANOVA) and qualitative content analysis of student-generated concept maps.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a literature review on concept mapping and syllabus requirements, a detailed methodology section, a presentation of statistical findings, and a discussion of the practical implications for teachers.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
The study is characterized by keywords such as concept mapping, English literature, ESL, secondary school education, student motivation, and pedagogical strategies.
How were concept maps evaluated in this study?
Concept maps were evaluated based on a specific scoring scheme developed by Novak and Musonda, assessing hierarchy, appropriateness of links, and conceptual understanding within the maps.
Did the research find significant differences between genders?
The research found no significant difference between genders for the topic of 'Characters,' but identified a significant difference in the topic of 'Moral Values,' where female students performed significantly better than their male counterparts.
- Citation du texte
- Willie Nelson Ubie (Auteur), 2011, The concept map as a learning tool. Improvement of students' motivation to learn English literature, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/305117
