Cognitive Structures and Their Place in Science Education

Abstract

Cognitive structures have attracted the attention of science education researchers because they affect students' learning of new scientific knowledge and play an important role in subsequent learning. According to the researchers, in order to realise meaningful learning in education and training, students' cognitive structures should be determined correctly. Researchers have used techniques such as word association test, flow maps, concept maps, drawing and writing technique, and concept cartoons to determine students' cognitive structures. They analysed the data with methods such as cut-off point technique, coefficient of relatedness formula, response frequencies mapping method, and qualitative analysis. In this study, a) what cognitive structure is; b) the methods, techniques, and tools used to determine cognitive structures; and c) how the data collected was used to determine cognitive structures are analysed and explained with examples of articles. In addition, the results of previous studies on cognitive constructs, especially in the field of science education, are presented.