Effects of Using a Concept Attainment Model with Graphic Organizers Technique to Enhance the Concept Formation Abilities of Kindergarteners

Abstract

The purposes of this research were 1) to study the effectiveness index of lesson plans using the concept attainment model along with graphic organizers technique; 2) to assess and compare kindergarteners’ concept formation abilities before and after the experiment. The research participants consisted of 20 kindergarteners aged 5 to 6 years. Each 60-minute experimental session was executed four times a week for a total period of six weeks. The lesson plans were implemented through three main phases: 1) preparation; 2) experience organization (warm up, concept presentation, data organization, concept summary, and individual graphic organizer creation); and 3) evaluation. The research instrument used was a performance rubric for the kindergarteners’ concept formation abilities. Statistical analyses used in the present study were the effectiveness index and calculations for mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The major findings were as follows: 1) the index of effectiveness of the lesson plans was equal to 0.8511, indicating that the participants showed an 85.11 percent improvement in their concept formation abilities; 2) the concept formation abilities of kindergarteners after the experiment were significantly higher than before the experiment at the .05 level of significance. The results of this research indicate that using a concept attainment model along with graphic organizers technique can enhance the concept formation abilities of kindergarteners.