The effect of embedded prompts in graphic organizer instruction on students' relational understanding of secondary content material

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three classifications of graphic organizers on students' relational understanding of secondary content material. In the study, three different types of graphic organizers were classified by way in which the information was prompted. Graphic organizers containing organizational prompts used wording with the visual design of the graphic organizer to cue learners about the organizational structure of the content. Graphic organizers with topic-specific information processing prompts cued the learner through the use of information processing strategies such as information analysis, summarizing or predicting. Graphic organizers with generative idea prompts cued students to elaborate on general truths about specific topics. Ninety-six students and 4 general education teachers in eight 11th grade World History classes participated in this study. The student sample included equal numbers of high achieving, typically achieving, and low achieving students. Also in the sample were 16 students identified as having a learning disability. A concept mapping assessment was used to measure students' depth and breadth of relational understanding as well as the erroneous understanding of students. The findings indicated that for students of all ability levels and disability status, the use of graphic organizers with organizational and topic-specific information processing prompts lead to significantly higher depth and breadth of relational understanding scores than the use of graphic organizers with generative idea prompts or text publisher resources. The results failed to show significant differences in the ratio of erroneous understanding among the experimental conditions. Semi-structured interviewing was conducted to examine the perceptions of participating teachers and students toward use of the three classifications of graphic organizers. The resulting qualitative findings are congruent with the quantitative findings of the study supporting the classroom use of graphic organizers with topic-specific information processing prompts and organizational prompts. Taken together, the quantitative and qualitative findings of this study lend support to previous research in the literature documenting the effectiveness of graphic organizers with topic-specific information processing prompts and organizational prompts. The results also suggest that teachers can use these graphic organizers to effectively enhance student's relational understanding regardless of their ability level or disability status.