The effects of computer-assisted mind maps on academic achievement, the elimination of misconceptions, awareness, attitude, and attitudes toward mind mapping: The case of environmental issues

In this study, the aim was to examine the effects of computer-assisted mind maps used in teaching the subject of environmental problems on academic achievement, the remediation of misconceptions, awareness, attitudes, and attitudes toward mind mapping. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group model was employed. The study was conducted in the spring semester of the 2023–2024 academic year with a total of 43 prospective science teachers, 31 female and 12 male, who were second-year students enrolled in the Science Education program at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University and who took the elective course "Chemical Wastes and Environmental Pollution." The experimental group consisted of 22 students, 17 female and 5 male, and the control group consisted of 21 students, 14 female and 7 male. Data were collected using the following instruments: "Environmental Problems Achievement Test," "Global Environmental Problems Diagnostic Test," "Environmental Problems Awareness Scale," "Attitude Scale toward Environmental Problems," and, to determine the effect of mind maps on student attitudes, the "Attitude Scale on the Use of Mind Maps." The analysis of the data was carried out using t tests for dependent and independent samples. The findings of the study indicated that computer-assisted mind maps had an effect on increasing the academic achievement of prospective teachers regarding environmental problems, remedying misconceptions, increasing awareness, and developing positive attitudes.