International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 11, No. 3 (2015)

The effect of college students' self-generated computerized mind mapping on their reading achievement

Sabah Salman Sabbah, Community College of Qatar

Abstract
ABSTRACT This study explored the potential effect of college students’ self-generated computerized mind-maps on their reading comprehension. It also investigated the subjects’ attitudes toward generating computerized mind maps for reading comprehension. The study was conducted in response to the inability of the foundation-level students, who were learning English as a second language, ESL, in the Community College of Qatar, to achieve the general and specific goals of learning reading. Quasi-experimental pre-posttest design was used. Purposeful sampling was used to choose two ESL classes from a sum of five level 3 classes. The experimental group (n=14) was taught reading texts via students' self-generated computerized mind maps, and the control group (n=8) was taught by teacher-generated whiteboard maps. ANCOVA was used to analyze students’ scores on the post test. The results revealed significant differences in favor of the experimental group. To identify the experimental group attitude toward the intervention, a 40-item four-domain questionnaire was designed and administered. The analysis of means, modes and standard deviations revealed that the domains were ranked statistically from the most positive to the least positive opinions as follows: educational benefits, mental benefits, usability, and enjoyment.

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