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

The findings indicate that there is a difference between the treatment group’s performances with the control group’s for the employment of cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping strategy. This strategy makes students more interested in following the process of teaching and learning. While teaching and learning process is carried out, students who do not understand the concept of the reading materials pose questions, thus class is actively discussing on the subject matter, (Orbanic, Dimec & Cencic, 2016; Alsharif, 2014) constructivist teaching could enhance student knowledge and linked their knowledge with experience. According to Slavin (2008), the advantages of cooperative integrated reading and composition with mind mapping strategy learning model integrate the advantages of cooperative learning with reading and writing amongst these students, thus improving their skills in solving the questions of a story or concept, applying simple implementations and motivating student learning because of the group work. In addition Kamisah et al., (2013) state that concept mapping that embedded into chemistry learning, it’s would increase students’ science thinking skills

In addition, complex learning activities to develop creative thinking are found to be quite effective in the treatment groups, (Kamisah et al., 2013) the way of student thinking skills have change significantly. Where students were assigned reading materials and given tasks to make some notes on their reading using mind maps. Buzan (2009) stated that the mind map is a way to register a creative, effective and will literally map the mind as well as a route map to memory that allows us to organize facts and thoughts such that the natural way the brain involved since the beginning. This study is also consistent with the findings of Donald and Barbara (2003) who found that student achievement increased while learning using mind maps, in addition to the Donald and Barbara (2003) also found that by using this learning strategy can facilitate students in learning and understanding which can produce ideas that can connect one concept to another concept. Yigit (2015) found that flow map method is valuable to gathering the cognitive structure outcomes of the students. Soika and Reiska (2014) by using concept mapping for assessement students can received higher marks for abstract chemistry-based sentences.

In the treatment group, the teacher acts as a guide. All of these efforts will not be successful if the teacher does not play a guiding role and acts as a mere informer. To implement active learning, students should have the opportunity to be involved by engaging themselves in their own learning activities. In conducting activities, learning materials are always needed. Teachers as guides need to manage all the learning materials that are necessary and related. According to Pintrich (1996), shared experience of cooperative learning can improve learning performance compared with individual learning. Infusing the learning of reading and writing cooperatively is a cooperative learning. Groups that established good rapport involving cognitive activities will be able to make predictions for summary and writing it. Elaine and Melissa (2004) states that each group is responsible for ensuring that all team members work in groups for reading and writing acivities.

The findings from the motivation study showed that in overall, there was no significant difference between the treatment group’s motivation and the control group’s, Cindy and Kamisah (2016) to enhance students motivation, more practical and suitable approaches and strategies have to applied. Likewise, there was no significant difference between the treatment group’s motivation and the control group’s motivation in terms of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. These findings were parallel and supportive of the findings and views by Kassaian and Ghadiri (2011) that a student who has a kind of pressure and a high motivation (Vandergrift, 2005) in learning possesses awareness and it’s probably they interested in his studies and showing determination to achieve success in learning. Woolfolk (2004) also noted that the benefits of intrinsic motivation are to actively engage students in their assignments grow and develop the concept of motivation in students so that they can educate themselves throughout their lives, as well as using the cognitive skills, which is to think critically about what have been learned.

In addition, instilling extrinsic motivation may be effective for individuals who are more easily adapt to the system of awarding points or rewards such as gifts, where it can encourage good behaviour among students. According to Covington (2000), what distinguishes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is based on what is the most effective way in motivating students. According to Suciati (2005), students’ motivation is defined as persistence that is not easily broken before achieving success although facing a lot of obstacles. This study also found that intrinsic motivation that is reflected in the mean score for the treatment class is higher than the mean score for the control class; this suggests that intrinsic motivation of the treatment class that used the cooperative integrated reading and writing with mind maps strategy is higher than the control group that used conventional learning. The results may be affected when different strategies are used, thus students from the treatment group have been pushing themselves to achieve good results and solve problems in learning.