Cooperative integrated reading and composition (CIRC) with mind mapping strategy and its effects on chemistry achievement and motivation http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/v17

Quality in science education is education that can produce students with the basic ability to learn, and can become pioneers in innovation and creation in science. Improving the quality of education can be done in various ways, such as the expansion and improvement of curriculum, structuring teacher, textbook procurement support, and improved methods of teaching and learning strategies. Osbrone, Simon, and Collins (2003) states, internal factors that influence the process of learning includes attitudes towards learning, learning motivation, learning concentration, learning outcomes retaining, self-confidence, learning material elaboration, learning outcomes exploration, study habits and students’ ambition fulfilment.

Due to the fact that teacher is one of the factors have a major impact and the most important factor in determining the learning environment. Teachers have a duty to motivate, guide and provide learning facilities for students to achieve the learning objectives. Kamisah, Wahidin and Subhan (2013) stated that teacher pedagogical content knowledge is still low. Teacher as an instructor requires the right steps in the delivery of subjects. Teachers should have a better understanding on teaching and learning (Yigit, 2015) to lead the learner organize reviews their knowledge by using different methods and technique.

One of the external factors that can influence the learning process is teachers as educators (Danielson, 2006). Teachers’ skills in managing the teaching process are crucial to the learning outcomes of the students (Sardiman, 2003). Therefore, teachers must motivate and guide students through a variety of ways that lead to the learning objectives. Teachers have a responsibility to look at everything that happens in the classroom to assist in the development of students (Slameto, 2003). It is widely asserted by educational researchers that teachers’ teaching experience is usually able to improve their skills in selecting suitable methodologies and strategies in the teaching process (Fuller, 1969; Berliner, 2005) and the methods and strategies used are clear and appropriate. Typically, strategies of excellent teachers use student-centred activities (Owens, 2006; Debevec, Shih & Kashyap, 2006).

One way to motivate students is through the environment system that should be created so that students would be interested in education and increase student activity with the method prescribed (D'Souza & Maheshwari, 2010). Moreover, the effectiveness of teaching depends on the extent to which teachers are able to achieve their teaching objectives to help students to learn what is being taught. At this point effective pedagogical strategies could increase awarnesses of the importance learner center (Kamisah et al., 2013).

Chemistry is a subject that have an abstract topic (Burrows & Mooring, 2015), an abstract concept will lead learners to have preconception (Hakim, Liliasari, Kadarohman & Syah, 2016) student have difficulties in comprehending chemistry concept and principles (Temel & Ozcan, 2016) to understanding the topic of chemistry requires learner understand the related concept develops knowledge structure (Burrows & Morring, 2015). Temel and Ozcan (2016) stated that to build a well-organised conceptual framework in chemistry, learner should prefer meaningful learning. Teacher should be applying a strategy that actively engaged student in the learning process. Chemistry education especially on colloid topic only presents information about the matter that is available in scientific information without correlating to the daily life. Presentation of topics using lecture method makes students generally assume that science is a boring subject. Kamisah, Lilia and Zanaton (2007) stated that perception shown by students towards science in general is negative or low, unattractive and difficult to understand. One of the active learning that put student active to think and actively involve in learning is cooperative learning with mind mapping. Gupta and Pasrija (2012) declare Cooperative Learning as an efficient technique to change students into active learners.

CIRC with Mind Mapping as a Strategy in teaching

A study has suggested that cooperative learning helps in improving students’ comprehension (Hafizah et al., 2010). In the cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping strategy, students are assigned to groups for different readings. In the learning process, every student will work in group that involves cognitive activities such as reading to each other; making predictions about the conclusions in reading and writing it in the form of a mind map (Figure 1). Students work in groups as a team to capture the whole main idea and other skills. According to Elaine and Melissa (2004) each group is responsible in ensuring that all team members work in groups to read and write.

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of Research

Figure 1 ilustrates that the conceptual framework formed based on the student-centered learning, According to Arends (2001) constructivist learning can be defined as the belief that students construct their own knowledge or based on the concept of actively existing knowledged and experienced. In the cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping activity, students will follow all instructions from the teachers, in-group exercises, assessments and quizzes, as well as acknowledgement for groups based on their achievement average in the cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping activity. Slavin (2008) described the reading and writing steps in the cooperative integrated reading and composition, whereby the students learn in groups by reading to each other, making predictions in reading, summarizing and giving conclusion of main ideas. Writing is the main activity in a group, with the objective to present their writings at the end of each lesson. An interesting matter in the cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping is students will not sit for the quizzes if any of the group members weren’t ready (Richardson, Tapia, & Kvasny, 2006; Elaine & Melissa, 2004).

Mind map is a form of recording that is different from conventional recordings (Putra, 2008). Mind map involves two-dimensional structure of recording that can coordinate the overall design of topics, interests and relationships that compares between each of the components and mechanisms of linkages. According to Buzan (2009) the mind map is a creative and effective way to record and will literally map the mind as well as a good route map to memory. Concept mapping can help student develop good learning habit (Kamisah et al., 2013), furthermore, Tseng, Chang, Lou, Tan and Chiu, (2012) based on his research found that concept mapping has increase students’ academic achievement. This indicates that the information given will be recalled easier and faster than using conventional recording techniques. With a mind map, long lists of information can be diverted into colourful diagrams, where it is very organized, easy to remember and it works like how the brain functions in doing different things.

The mind map method enables both right and left hemispheres of the brain to cooperate and together involve in the process of comprehending information (Windura, 2011). Mind maps could make mundane learning activities to become interesting. Mind maps are also suitable to the way how the human brain actually works. Concept mapping involves using the appropriate link to connect one or more concepts, thereby expressing the complete meaning and relationship between the concepts (Ku, Shih & Hung, 2014). The greatness of mind maps is not only assessed based on what can be seen through the naked eyes, but also includes many different elements that were sought by the human brain.

Motivation and Its Role in Learning Science

Winkel (1987) points out that motivation is the driving force in a person to perform certain activities in order to achieve a particular purpose. Hamalik (1993) stated that motivation is an energy change in a person marked by the emergence of feelings and reactions to achieve the purpose. Stoner, James, and Freeman (1992) also stated that motivation as an internal factor that drives individual behaviour in achieving a purpose or satisfaction. Teachers are the learning operators and leaders in the classroom. Therefore, motivated and competent teachers will produce excellent teaching. This is in line with the opinion by Winardi (2004) which states that motivation is a component of the internal or external process that drives an individual to be positive and tend to do certain activities and events. These definitions mean that if someone sees a benefit and profits that he/she will attain, then he/she will work hard to achieve that goal.

Motivation is considered to be the key to success in learning. It is a provider of energy and momentum to the students so that learning becomes more active and effective. If students are highly motivated, the probability of success is very large, and vice versa (Kamarul & Embi, 2009). Students who are consciously highly motivated in a controlled manner will work and spend the time to review the learning acquired in the classroom consistently. The influence of social psychology on the use of teaching strategies also shows that motivation has a great impact on the selection of combined strategies that will be used (Macintyre, 1994).

A study conducted by Prokop, Tuncer and Chuda (2007) found that teacher characteristics have a significant role on students’ attitude towards Science. Student who has a high motivation in learning possesses a new awareness and a positive desire, such as having positive attitude towards the subject of study, always be prepared and committed to learn very hard, interested in his education and show determination to achieve success in learning. This is also consistent with the findings of a study conducted by Sadi and Uyar (2013) that the use of strategies to motivate students can improve students’ learning purpose, social contacts and students’ achievement.

Based on its nature, motivation can be divided into two categories, which are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. According to George and Jones (2005), a difference that must be considered in discussing motivation is the difference between the source of motivation, whether intrinsic motivation or extrinsic motivation of the teaching and learning process. The benefits of intrinsic motivation are to actively engage students in their assignment, growing and developing the concept of motivation in students so that they can educate themselves throughout their lives, as well as the use of cognitive, which is the critical thinking side of what they learn (Woolfolk, 2004).

According to Covington (2000), what distinguishes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is based on which is the most effective way in motivating students to learn. Extrinsic motivation may be effective for individuals who are more easily accepting the system of awarding points or rewards such as gift, where it can encourage good behaviour among students. However, with the increase in age, one has to increase his extrinsic motivation if he wishes to gain experience and find it fun to do something. This is in line with the findings of a study conducted by Byman, Lavonen, Juuti & Meisalo (2012) which stated that between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation is more influential in learning.

This research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping strategy in calculating of learning outcomes and motivation in chemistry learning. This research sought answer to the following main questions:

How did the conceptual understanding of student in the CIRC and mind mapping treatment and the conventional instruction group have significant change from pre-to post instruction?
Do CRIC and mind mapping when used as a strategies in the teaching within the chemistry school based curriculum significantly improve the student motivation?