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The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of
Vee-mapping in the seventh grade biology laboratory instruction.
This study is a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and
post-test. There are two teachers with one of their classes as
the experimental group using Vee-mapping strategy; the same two
teacher''''s another one class as control group A using the
conventional strategy. The third teacher with two of her classes
are selected as control group B. The instruments used in this
study are： the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking(GALT), the
Laboratory Achievement Test(LAT), the Assesment of Scientific
Process Skills(ASPS), the Inventory of Attitude toward
Biology(IATB) and the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory
(SLEI). There are questionnaires developed for collecting
information related to the experience and feelings of teachers
and students to the Vee-mapping strategy.
After ANCOVA analysis, there is no difference on the scores of
the GALT and IATB, but there are significant differences on the
scores of ASPS, LAT, and SLEI. The scores of experimental group
is higher than the control group B. Except the score of SLEI, the
scores of experimental group is also higher than the control
group A. Results from the questionnaires indicate that teachers
and students have positive attitude toward Vee-mapping and
confirm its usefulness in biology laboratory teaching and
learning.
The results of this study reveal that Vee-mapping is a useful
stategy in improving biology laboratory instruction. The effect
is on improving the abilities of scientific process skills and
higher level thinking skills and also on increasing the positive
attitude toward laboratory environment.
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