COLLEGE STUDENTS' DEVELOPMENT OF MAP INTERPRETATION SKILLS

The ability to interpret topographic maps is an important skill for geoscientists. We conducted a study to investigate how students' map interpretation skills develop over time. We explored students' understanding of what topographic maps represent, students' ability to identify land features, and students' evidence for identifying land features. We conducted a basic interpretive qualitative study. We conducted pre and post interviews of eleven college students enrolled in an introductory geology class. We analyzed responses using a modified version of constant comparative analysis.

Students described three components of topographic maps: a general definition of what topographic maps represent, the symbols depicted in maps (e.g., contour lines), and land and human features represented by the map symbols. In pre interviews, most students did not provide a definition of what topographic maps represent, but most students did provide a in post interviews. From pre to post interviews, there was no difference in the types and frequency of human and land features and map symbols identified by students.

Most students correctly identified map features at the beginning and end of the semester. Although, some students provided incorrect evidence for land feature identification in pre and post interviews, most students provided correct and complete or correct and partially complete evidence for identifying land features in pre and post interviews. Students used fewer incorrect lines of evidence in post interviews than they did in pre interviews. From pre to post interviews, three students improved the correctness of their evidence to identify features, two students decreased the correctness of their evidence to identify features, and six students showed no change in the correctness of their evidence to identify features. It is notable that five of the six students who showed no change in the correctness of their evidence provided partially correct or completely correct evidence in both pre and post interviews.

Students' map interpretation skills did not progress in a single, linear fashion. Some students' skills improved, some declined, and some stayed the same. However, in general, most students started and ended the semester with good topographic map interpretation skills.