Graduate Studies
The Graduate Studies section includes findings in the following categories on this web page:
An Examination of Student Performance after Two Years of Thinking Maps® Implementation in Three Tennessee Schools
By Katharine Mabie Hickie, May 2006
The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, association exists between Thinking Maps® instruction and student achievement in fifth grade students in Reading/Language and Mathematics as reported by the State NCE scores of the criterion referenced portion of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement Test in 3 Title I elementary schools in northeast Tennessee.
Based on the analysis and findings of this study, implementing the Thinking Maps® program in the whole school approach appears to have been a successful step in improving student achievement in the area of Reading/Language.
Download the dissertation An Examination of Student Performance after Two Years of Thinking Maps® (Acrobat PDF file)
The Effects of Thinking Maps on Reading Scores 1998
Dissertation by Marjann Kalehoff Ball
Unpublished doctoral dissertation University of Southern Mississippi, 1999
Summary: A highly significant correlation was found between the use of Thinking Maps and reading comprehension scores of college students using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test.
Download the summary of the dissertation The Effects of Thinking Maps on Reading Scores 1998 (Acrobat PDF file)
Download the complete dissertation The Effects of Thinking Maps on Reading Scores 1998 (Acrobat PDF file)
Read Marjann Ball's Reflections on her dissertation
The Effect of Thinking Maps Instruction on the Achievement of Fourth-Grade Students
Dissertation by Samuel Ferebee Leary,Jr.
This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of the Thinking Maps® program, aseries of graphic organizers, on the achievement of fourth-grade students as measured by a standardized test. The researcher used a nonequivalent pretest-post test control group design to compare student achievement between fourth-grade students in two elementary schools within a school division. A total of 78 students participated in the study; 41 in two classes in the treatment group and 37 in the two classes in the control group. The treatment group received instruction in the Thinking Maps® program for seven months.
Read Samuel Ferebee Leary,Jr.'s dissertation The Effect of Thinking Maps Instruction on the Achievement of Fourth-Grade Students online.
Download the complete dissertation The Effect of Thinking Maps Instruction on the Achievement of Fourth-Grade Students (Acrobat PDF file)
Thinking Maps for Multiple Modes of Understanding
Dissertation by David Herle, Ed.D.
U.C.Berkeley, 1993
This study is an introduction to the theoretical foundations for and practical classroom uses of thinking maps as student-centered tools for constructing personal, interpersonal, and social understandings... Thinking maps are also introduced in this investigation as interactive tools for use in key areas of educational change at the turn of this century: for the development of students' thinking and metacognitive abilities, perspective-taking and multicultural education. organization for research and writing, and for interdisciplinary learning. In addition, an assessment rubric based on holistic scoring of thinking maps is presented as a framework for viewing the development of students' thinking and content learning over time.
Download the abstract for the dissertation Thinking Maps for Multiple Modes of Understanding (Acrobat PDF file)
Download the complete dissertation Thinking Maps for Multiple Modes of Understanding (Acrobat PDF file)
Improving Reading Compehension Through Visual Tools
Masters Degree Thesis by Cynthia Manning
Eastern Nazarene Graduate School, 2003
Summary: Reading comprehension in learning disabled students can be increased with the classroom implementation of visual tools. Student performance was measured using MCAS reading scores before and after the introduction of Thinking Maps, i.e., a set of visual tools which are centered on the development of eight thinking processes. By integrating this common visual language throughout the school's curriculum, it was projected that more effective and efficient learning would be achieved. Assessment results indicated that reading comprehension was increased; it was also observed by classroom teachers that levels of performance rose overall in the following areas: concept attainment, reflective thinking, recall, retention, writing (quantity and quality), creativity, motivation, and cooperative learning skills. These findings are congruent with a multitude of research studies and support the position that student performance can be increased with the implementation of visual tools.
Download the Master's Thesis summary Improving Reading Compehension Through Visual Tools (Acrobat PDF file)
Download the Master's Thesis Improving Reading Compehension Through Visual Tools including student examples (Acrobat PDF file)
Inviting Explicit Thinking: Thinking Maps Professional Development
Masters Degree Thesis by Sarah Curtis
Antioch New England Graduate School, New Hampshire, 2001
Summary: Using interviews, teacher and student documents, and surveys, this study shows how Thinking Maps training and follow-up directly support teacher thinking and reflection.
Download the Master's Thesis Inviting Explicit Thinking: Thinking Maps Professional (Acrobat PDF file)
Integrating Thinking Maps into the Fourth Grade Curriculum
Masters Project by Jeanine Matt-Kawryga
University of Syracuse, New York, 2001
Summary: After a brief overview, this work systematically shows how Thinking Maps have been used effectively in every discipline in fourth grade urban classrooms in Syracuse, NY
Download the Master's Thesis Integrating Thinking Maps into the Fourth Grade Curriculum (Acrobat PDF file)
Are Middle School Students Using Thinking Maps in Writing?
Masters Project by Jennifer L. Hindman
The College of William and Mary, Virginia
Summary: This study showed that more than half of the 1,000 students used a visual tool.
The Effects of Thinking Maps on Reading Retention 1998
Masters Project by Melanie H. Blount
Catawba College, North Carolina, 2000
Summary: This results of this study indicate improvement in reading comprehension by underachieving 4th grade students in an inner city school.
Download the Master's Thesis The Effects of Thinking Maps on Reading Retention (Acrobat PDF file)
Thinking Maps for G&T Learners - Developing Expertise Awards 2005-2006
Stuart Jamieson, Birchwood Community High School, Warrington, United Kingdom
This research evaluates the use of Thinking Maps as a visual tool to improve the quality of pupils thinking and planning using eight cognitive functions. Central to our work is whether pupils’ redrafted writing would improve through greater use of descriptive techniques derived from the application of Thinking Maps. In seeking to prove that pupils would be able to transfer their thinking and planning skills across a range of themes and/or subjects to promote overarching learning concepts we have used relevant forms of data. We hoped to ascertain what teachers and support staff would do to change their approaches to planning by using Thinking Maps to connect learning visually and emotionally.
Download the Thinking Maps for G&T Learners research paper (Acrobat PDF file)
Read more about Developing Expertise Awards by The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth.
St. Hilda's Collegiate School - Thinking Maps Report
Christine Gold, St. Hilda's Collegiate School, New Zealand, 2004
Thinking Maps are a common visual language for learning. They are a set of tools for
showing relationships and patterns in information. Students need to think strategically
and plan their thinking. Thinking Maps provide a framework in order to better
facilitate this. By using Thinking Maps students will be better able to plan answers in
assessments, visualise their learning and identify critical areas in information. David
Hyerle's Thinking Maps are our first whole school Thinking initiative..
Download the St. Hilda's Collegiate School - Thinking Maps Report (Acrobat PDF file)
North Carolina Study: Evidence of Thinking Maps Effects on Student Learning
Conducted by an outside evaluation firm, TRIERE Research of Manchester, NH - 2002
The North Carolina School Study examines the achievement of students in North Carolina schools in 1997 & 2002. Findings included: significant increases in both reading and math performance at all grade levels in TM schools; and significant decreases in percentage of low achievers in reading and math in TM Schools.
Download the North Carolina Final Report 2004 (Acrobat PDF file) prepared by Nancy Cook Smith, Ph.D. TRIERE Research
Download the Presentation on the North Carolina Study 2002 (Acrobat PDF file)
Quality Assurance Project Collaboration
Resource Guide written by Judy Goldstein and participating teachers
Community School District 28, Forest Hills, NY; Distric 75, New York, NY
Summary: After a brief and practical overview of Thinking Maps, this work systematically shows how Thinking Maps have been used comprehensively and effectively across disciplines with students in the special education district that spans all burroughs of New York City. There are many examples of students' work included.
Download the Resource Guide written by Judy Goldstein (Acrobat PDF file)
Organization: The Internal Structure of Writing
Marsha Morgan, SNWP Fall Institute, 2001
Summary: But the glaring revelation for me was the obvious lack of organization in many of the pieces. So began my journey to find ways to help my students stay focused in their writing, to build bridges with words that would link thoughts together in logical ways. I wanted them to write beginnings that built anticipation in their readers, and endings that made the reader linger over what they just read. What would the experts tell me about organization in children's writing? What could I learn from the children themselves?
Download Organization: The Internal Structure of Writing (Acrobat PDF file)