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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2010 Sep 16:10:61.
doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-10-61.

Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students?

Anthony V D'Antoni  1 , Genevieve Pinto Zipp, Valerie G Olson, Terrence F Cahill
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students?

Anthony V D'Antoni et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: A learning strategy underutilized in medical education is mind mapping. Mind maps are multi-sensory tools that may help medical students organize, integrate, and retain information. Recent work suggests that using mind mapping as a note-taking strategy facilitates critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and critical thinking, as measured by the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), and whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and recall of domain-based information.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 131 first-year medical students were randomly assigned to a standard note-taking (SNT) group or mind map (MM) group during orientation. Subjects were given a demographic survey and pre-HSRT. They were then given an unfamiliar text passage, a pre-quiz based upon the passage, and a 30-minute break, during which time subjects in the MM group were given a presentation on mind mapping. After the break, subjects were given the same passage and wrote notes based on their group (SNT or MM) assignment. A post-quiz based upon the passage was administered, followed by a post-HSRT. Differences in mean pre- and post-quiz scores between groups were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, whereas differences in mean pre- and post-HSRT total scores and subscores between groups were analyzed using ANOVA. Mind map depth was assessed using the Mind Map Assessment Rubric (MMAR).

Results: There were no significant differences in mean scores on both the pre- and post-quizzes between note-taking groups. And, no significant differences were found between pre- and post-HSRT mean total scores and subscores.

Conclusions: Although mind mapping was not found to increase short-term recall of domain-based information or critical thinking compared to SNT, a brief introduction to mind mapping allowed novice MM subjects to perform similarly to SNT subjects. This demonstrates that medical students using mind maps can successfully retrieve information in the short term, and does not put them at a disadvantage compared to SNT students. Future studies should explore longitudinal effects of mind-map proficiency training on both short- and long-term information retrieval and critical thinking.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Constructivist theory of learning. Theoretical assumptions that underlie constructivist theory using a bottom-up approach. Academic information is commonly available to the learner through reading, visualizing, or listening. Irrespective of the mechanism, information enters the mind of the learner, who is actively trying to make sense of the information. Adapted from Ausubel [7].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Student mind map. An example of a mind map from one of the medical students in this study. Note the judicious use of pictures and colors, along with hierarchical organization positioned radially. Note how different colors were used to indicate different hierarchies (eg, green is primary hierarchy, blue is secondary, aqua is tertiary, etc.). In addition to the above example, other student mind maps have been published elsewhere[22,28].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Study design. Research procedure.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Quiz scores between groups. Both quizzes were based on a 394-word text passage. There are no significant differences in mean scores between groups on both the pre-quiz (quiz 1) and post-quiz (quiz 2).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Differences between quiz scores using a standardized z score. A difference score was created between the standardized quiz scores so that the degree to which the variability in each quiz affected the outcome would be the same. The difference score is standardized with a mean of 0 and a SD of 1.08. On the average, subjects in the MM group had lower scores on the second quiz (-.2061 SD), while those in the SNT group increased by about the same amount (.2093 SD). This represents about two-tenths of a SD and the difference was found to be significant (p = .027).
Figure 6
Figure 6
HSRT total scores between groups. There are no significant differences in mean total scores between groups on both the pre-HSRT and post-HSRT.
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