Applicability of Concept Maps to Assess Higher Order Thinking in the Context of Indian Medical Education: An Analytical Study in the Subject of Physiology

INTRODUCTION: Concept mapping is a multidimensional tool that has been put to little use in India. We designed this study to check its applicability for assessing higher-order thinking in the subject of Physiology. METHODS: This interventional analytical study was carried out among 65 students of Phase I of MBBS in the year 2021. The students were sensitized to the technique and were given a practice session. On a pre-informed date, an assessment of a topic taught to them was done using concept mapping and a multiple-choice question (MCQ) based test. Feedback on the technique was taken from the students. The statistical tests used were test of normality – Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, significance of association - Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, correlation - Spearman’s correlation, and agreement – Bland Altman Analysis. The discrimination index was calculated for both concept mapping and MCQ based tests, separately. Percentages were calculated for feedback questionnaire items. The data were analysed using Microsoft Excel (2019) and an online calculator. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Students scored more in concept mapping. There was a significant difference in the scores of the students on the two tests (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, Z=-2.66, p=0.008) and a weakly positive non-significant correlation between them (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, r(s)=0.07 p=0.60). Bland Altman’s Analysis showed agreement in the scores of the students in the two tests. The mean score of the students in the two tests increased, so did the difference in the scores in the two tests. The discrimination index of concept mapping (0.28) was higher than that of the MCQ-based test (0.18). Most of the students agreed on the advantages of concept mapping in the feedback. CONCLUSION: The assessment result of concept mapping is better than that of MCQ-based test and it may be included as a teaching-learning and assessment strategy in the context of Indian medical education in the subject of Physiology.