In addition during each workshop faculty and graduate

In addition, during each workshop,
faculty and graduate students both gave
and received feedback on concept-map-
based presentations with the objective of
(4) assessing whether concept maps can
be used to give effective presentations
to nonscientists . In a follow-on survey,
graduate students provided feedback on
Figure 3. Example of a preliminary concept map. This map is intended to break down into the simplest
form the different types of climate records scientists use and to show where the data come from. The
COSEE-OS software used to construct this preliminary map () allows the
presenter to sequentially reveal the various components by clicking the color-coded blocks at upper left.
The intended audience for the final presentation was high school students.
Figure 4. “Consensus”
version of the Figure 3
map revised collab-
oratively with gradu-
ate students during
the FGSC workshop.
This version has been
broken into two sec-
tions: what climate
influences and what
types of informa-
tion can be gathered
about climate from
those records.

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| March 2013 103
longer-term goals of this project, includ-
ing the application of workshop content
and/or skills for educational outreach,
teaching, and their scientific research.
Graduate students (n = 71) gave an
average rating of 5.9 out of a maxi-
mum 7.0 points using the Likert scale
when evaluating Objective 1. On aver-
age, 85% (n=71) agreed that concept
mapping helped them “think through
topics” while preparing presentation
materials for nonscientists. This evidence
supports that the project successfully
trained graduate students to view con-
cept mapping as an effective method
to deconstruct and analyze complex
science (Objective 2).
The workshop design appears to have
been very effective in terms of fostering
collegial interactions between gradu-
ate students and faculty-level scientists
(Objective 3). On average, 90% (n=71)
of graduate students agreed that they
“interacted as peers/colleagues” while
creating concept-map-based presenta-
tions to meet the needs of third-party
audiences . A related question asked of
graduate students—“How would you rate
the quality of interaction between sci-
entists and graduate students during the
workshop?”—received an average rating
of 6.5 out of a maximum 7.0 points on
the Likert scale. These outcomes—along
with the positive feedback from par-
ticipating faculty members—support
the overall efficacy of the workshops’
design in fostering a collaborative atmo-
sphere for graduate students and faculty
members. Some participating faculty
members specifically mentioned concept
mapping’s value in representing not only
what they know but also how they think
about science. Thus, evidence indicates
that concept mapping has great potential
as a tool for scientists at various career
stages to share, analyze, and develop
ideas related to ocean science research.