Using "concept sorting" to study learning processes and outcomes.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE:
First, to evaluate "concept sorting" as a tool for assessing knowledge organization in the memories of first-year medical students, and second, to study the relationship between knowledge organization and examination performance.

METHOD:
During 2001, first-year medical students taking the Renal Course at the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine were given a questionnaire on scheme use and were given a concept-sorting task in the domain of metabolic alkalosis. The sophistication of their concept sorting was graded using the number of physiology-based groups they formed. Review of the course's examination scores allowed correlation with concept-sorting scores. Statistical analyses used Fisher's exact test and the two-sample t-test. Pearson's correlation coefficient and the kappa statistic were used for correlation between raters.

RESULTS:
A total of 81 of 99 students completed the study. The concept-sorting score (mean +/- SEM) for students who used the scheme was higher than was the score for students who did not (2.5 +/- 0.14 versus 1.91 +/- 0.12, p =.016). Students who scored higher in the concept-sorting task, referred to as "deep learners," scored higher than did "surface learners" on exam questions on metabolic alkalosis (2.81 versus 2.29, p =.02). There was no difference in the overall examination performances between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS:
Concept sorting may be a useful tool for studying the learning process. Scheme use by students produces a positive outcome on examination performance.

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Author information

Author/s: McLaughlin, Kevin (K); Mandin, Henry (H);

Affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. kevin.mclaughlin(-atsign-)calgaryhealthregion.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (Acad Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Aug; vol 77 (issue 8) : pp 831-6

Dates: Created 2002/08/14; Completed 2002/08/30; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12176700, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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