Restructuring knowledge in Biology: cognitive processes and metacognitive reflections

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Abstract
This follow-up study explored successive and progressive changes in the structural complexity and propositional validity of knowledge held by students enrolled in an advanced, undergraduate, university-level biology course. To examine the way learners restructure their knowledge during the semester, subjects constructed concept maps at intervals of four-six weeks. The concept maps were scored for structural complexity and propositional validity based on a modified version of Novak and Gowin's methods, and for structural change based on the work of Rumelhart and Norman. Results support previous findings that a significant amount of 'weak' knowledge restructuring occurs, resulting in an incremental, cumulative and limited form of conceptual change. However, the most 'radical' type of 'strong' restructuring (involving wholesale, abrupt and extensive change) is concentrated during the first six weeks of the course. The findings also suggest that gender plays a significant mediating effect in knowledge restructuring. Significant differences favouring females were found in the number of crosslinks depicted and a significant interaction, also favouring females, was found in the amount of branching. Finally, clinical interviews with rote and meaningful learners suggest that the latter group displays an enhanced level of awareness, and a stronger ability to monitor, regulate and control their own learning. The significance of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

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