The use of mind maps related to the four operations in primary school fourth-grade students as an evaluation tool

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the concepts that primary school fourth-grade students reveal with their mind maps related to four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and to compare the mind map and achievement test scores. In the study, a mixed method was used in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected and presented together. The study was carried out with a total of 14 students. There were eight girls and six boys, who studying in the fourth-grade of a primary school in Menteşe district of Muğla, in the spring semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. In the research, mind maps created for four operations and success test were used as data collection tools. The data collection process was carried out simultaneously. In the analysis of the data, qualitative data were transformed into the quantitative analysis, and quantitative analyzes were made. Concepts in mind maps created for four operations were subjected to qualitative analysis and photos were added as evidence. As a result of the research, it was determined that the majority of the students adopted the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Besides, it was revealed that there was a high-level positive relationship between the scores of the students obtained from the achievement test and the scores from the mind maps they created. The evaluation made using the mind map for primary school fourth-grade students is more advantageous than the achievement test in terms of determining the conceptual understanding.