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Medical students' critical thinking assessment with collaborative concept maps in a blended educational Strategy

Background: Concept maps (CMs) are tools used to represent how new knowledge is integrated into the cognitive structure. In this study, we investigated the role of collaborative CMs in improving medical students' critical thinking and knowledge acquisition. Methods: A pre-post interventional study was conducted. In the 1st week of the clerkship rotation, a group of 10–14 students were asked by a faculty member to make a CM (CM1). After this first exposure (weeks 2/3), students learned the content through online forums. In the final week (week 4), students discussed what they had learned and made a final CM (CM2). Results: A total of 104 students participated in the study, making twenty CM1 and twenty CM2. There was a statistically significant difference between CM1 and CM2 for overall scores, proposition units, and hierarchy units (P < 0.001). Discussion: Collaborative CMs may be useful tools to help teachers better understand their students' critical thinking changes during a blended strategy.