الفهرس 
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Abstract
Concept mapping (CM) is an active teaching strategy, under constructivism, placing the nursing students at the center of learning Activity and the nurse educators as a facilitator which aims at fostering meaningful learning by students. It helps students to organizing their knowledge through series of graphical maps and provides nursing students the opportunity to visualize and integrate theories with the practice (Yin et al., 2016).
The aims of the current study were;
1. Assess the students’ knowledge regarding concept mapping.
2. Design and implement maps in classroom lecture
3. Evaluate the effect of mapping skill intervention on students’ achievement.
4. Compare between mapping skill intervention versus traditional nursing education on the students’ achievement.
The study was conducted at classroom lecture in the Faculty of Nursing affiliated to Ain-Shams University, including (85) of the 3rd year students enrolled in pediatric nursing department, during academic year 2015-2016 . The students were divided randomly into two groups; control and study groups.
The control group included, 40 students were subjected to traditional nursing education offered by the pediatric nursing department and the study group included 45 students were subjected to mapping skill intervention in class room lecture in addition to the traditional nursing education offered by the pediatric nursing department.
Inclusion criteria:
Only students who were enrolled in the Pediatric Nursing course for the first time was included in the study.
Exclusion criteria:
Students who were repeating the third year (Pediatric Nursing course) because they had previous knowledge which may affect the result of the study.
Data were obtained through an interview with the studied subjects using the following tools:
I- Structured Questionnaire Sheet by Interviewing (pre/post)
This tool was designed by the researcher based on scientific literature review. To collect data about characteristics of the students namely: age, sex and previous qualifications. In addition to, students’ knowledge about concept mapping regarding definition, purpose, types, uses, components, steps, advantages and disadvantages of concept mapping.
II-Concept Map Assessment Rubric (pre/post)
This tool was adopted from Taie, (2014), to assess the studied students’ progress and effectiveness of using mapping skills pre/post in classroom lecture. The rubric scored as, exceeds standard (3), adequately meets standard (2) and below standard (1).
III- Students’ Achievement Test (pre/post)
This tool was designed by the researcher to assess the students’ knowledge regarding the concepts covered in the respiratory disorders unit of pediatric nursing course. This tool was used for both groups (control & study) before and after implementation of concept mapping skills.
IV- Student’s Openionaire Format (post)
This tool was developed by the researcher after reviewing the relevant literature to assess student’s satisfaction towards using of concept mapping skills in learning pediatric course. It was used post intervention evaluation for the study group. The opinionnaire sheet was rated on a three-point Likert type scale that ranged from strongly agree (3), agree (2) and disagree (1).
Ethical considerations:
The protocol approval was obtained from the faculty Research Ethical Committee before conducting the study. A verbal consent was obtained from each student to ensure willingness to engage in the study. Clear and simple clarification of the study nature and its expected outcomes were explained. The students were secured that all data collected was treated in confidentiality and anonymity and for research purpose only. All the study subjects have the right to withdraw at any time from the study.
Field work
A pilot study was conducted on 10% of the total sample size of the studied subjects. The necessary modifications were done; the ambiguous items were omitted and other items were added according to the study subject’s response. The study was carried out in a period from the 1st of March until the end of May, 2016.
The control group received traditional nursing education, where the respiratory disorders unit was taught by the pediatric nursing department. While, The study group subjected to mapping skills intervention by the researcher. According to pre-designated schedule of the allocated hours of the pediatric nursing department.
The researcher started with awareness session for the study group about concept mapping as, the meaning, benefits, types, uses, advantages & disadvantages of concept mapping, then the students were received adequate training sessions in application of concept mapping skills through using specific concepts examples prepared by the researcher. The implementation of concept mapping skills was carried out by the students in the study group after each lecture of pediatric respiratory disorders unit to represent their understanding of the content.
Results of the study:
The main findings of the current study can be summarized as the following:
- The mean age of students in the study and control groups was (21.31±0.73 & 21.25±0.70) years respectively. 75.6% & 77.5% of students in the study and control groups were female. 86.7% & 95.0% in both the study and control groups had secondary school certificate.
- It was found that 84.4% of students in the study group had poor level of knowledge regarding concept mapping pre intervention compared to almost three quarters who had good knowledge level post intervention.
- 86.7% & 82.5% of students in the study & control groups respectively had poor level of achievement regarding respiratory disorders knowledge pre intervention.
- 82.2% of students in the study group had good level of achievement post intervention, compared to 55% of students in the control group.
- All the student in the study group were below standard level regarding concept mapping skills pre intervention compared to 66.7% of them were exceeding standard level post intervention.
- Most (80%) of students in the study group were satisfied with concept mapping as a learning tool. While the rest (20%) of them were unsatisfied.
It was found that there were statistical significant differences between the following:
- Concept mapping knowledge of the study group pre and post intervention.
- The students’ gender in the study and control groups and their achievement scores post intervention.
While there was no statistical significant difference between the following:
- The students’ age, gender, previous qualification and their total knowledge of concept mapping in the study group pre/post intervention.
- The students’ age, gender, previous qualification and their achievement scores in the study and control groups pre intervention.
- The students’ age, previous qualification and their achievement scores in the study and control groups post intervention.
It was found that there were positive correlations between the following:
- The students’ total knowledge regarding concept mapping and their total achievement scores in the study group post intervention.
- The students’ skills regarding concept mapping and their achievement scores in the study group post intervention.
Conclusion & Recommendations
In the light of the finding of the current study, it can be concluded that, mapping skill intervention improved the nursing students’ achievements in pediatric nursing course compared with the traditional nursing education. where the students in the study group achieved higher scores of knowledge than the students in the control group as well as, most of students in the study group were satisfied positively with concept mapping as a learning tool.
In the light of the findings of the current study the following recommendations are suggested:
1. Integrate concept mapping strategy as a method of teaching in pediatric nursing course.
2. Training for the nursing students to acquire concept mapping skills as a learning strategy in their education.
3. Shed light on the obstacles hindering the implementation of the concept mapping method as a learning tool in pediatric nursing education.
4. Further researches involving larger sample are recommended to ensure generalization of the study results.
5. Continuous supervision, guidance and repeated practices about concept mapping.