The Effectiveness of Interactive Mind Mapping Technique on Performance and Motivation of College English Students in China

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of interactive mind mapping on student performance and learning motivation in the context of English courses in Chinese universities. It analyses the roles of interactive mind mapping on student’s motivation and performance. The literature studies interactive mind mapping based on two theories: Human Constructivist theory (HCT) and experiential learning theory (ELT). The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to design an interactive model of constructivism for the teaching and learning of interactive mind mapping in the English course of Chinese college students; (2) to investigate the significant influence of interactive mind mapping on Chinese college students’ performance; (3) to investigate the significant influence of interactive mind mapping on Chinese college students’ learning motivation; and (4) to investigate the relationship between performance and motivation in using interactive mind mapping. Analyses of the causal relationships are tested using a sample of 120 freshmen English majors from Sichuan University in China. The empirical findings indicate that interactive mind mapping positively and significantly affects students’ motivation and performance.