Does constructivist approach applicable through concept maps to achieve meaningful learning in Science?

The finding of the present study supports, cooperative spider concept map is more effective than individual modes of spider concept map and it provides meaningful learning in science. Due to collaboration among learners, concept map is a constructivist approach, which provides meaningful learning in science. Evidence like, the study of Novak, 1988; Roth & Roy Choudhury, 1994; Russo, Scheurman, Harred & Leubka, 1995; have supported the finding that concept mapping as a constructivist approach. Concept mapping helps students to think more effectively as a group without losing their individuality. It helps groups to manage the complexity of their ideas without trivializing them or losing detail. Novak & Gowin(1984) claimed that concept mapping is a useful tool both for the teaching and for learning strategy, which facilitates meaning making in learning science. Cooperative hierarchical concept map was more effective than individual mode and it provides meaningful learning in science. This result supported by the studies conducted in Biology (Pearson & Hughes, 1986); Chemistry (Wilson, 1998; Markow & Lonning, 1998); Physics (Pankratius, 1990; Roth & Roy Choudhury, 1994). All have a found that concept map directly influence on achievement and retention. It was found from the study that the collaborative spider and hierarchical concept maps were better over both of individual maps on achieving meaningful learning in science because cooperative learning is favoured among students. Therefore, cooperative modes of Spider concept map and Hierarchical concept map have found meaningful in chemical science than individual modes of learning. Their t-value is significant at 0.01 and 0.05 level. It means, there existed significant difference in individual modes through Spider concept map and Hierarchical concept map learning as recorded from their immediate and delayed map scores and it is cleared that retention level was low among individual learners as comparable to cooperative modes of learning through spider concept map approach and Hierarchical concept map approach. Hence, the cooperative modes of Spider concept map and Hierarchical concept map were meaningful in chemical science than individual modes of learning (Lumpe, Haney, & Czerniak, 1998). It was cleared that collaborative learning is useful than individual learning and the study is in a right direction, means collaborative learning is characteristic of constructivist learning and in the present study it gives high retention (i.e. meaningful) than individual learning.