THE IMPACT OF MENTAL MAPPING ON PUPILS' ATTITUDES TO LEARNING

Abstract

In education, it is essential to ensure that the relationship established between pupils and education or learning itself is positive. A teacher should help pupils while building their inner knowledge system and ensure that this process is conducted without coercion but with interest and a positive attitude.

The subject of the research are mental maps and their impact on attitudes of primary school pupils to “learning”. In the research investigation, a questionnaire with 11 items was used and the respondents were primary school pupils who regularly work with mental maps in the educational process, and pupils who do not work with mental maps regularly. The results of the survey point out the disparities in attitudes to “learning”. 85% of surveyed pupils who regularly use mental maps indicated that they learn faster and better, they also stated that learning in school is fun, whereas only 55% of pupils in the second group who do not work with mental maps regularly share this opinion.

Based on creating a mental map, pupils become active participants in the educational process and create knowledge structures without repeated explanation. Pupils’ activity using mental maps in the educational process seems to be the first efficient step towards better learning and a more positive attitude to this process.