How sixth grade students used electronic concept mapping technology to write narrative and compare/contrast essays

The purpose of this study was to examine how sixth grade students used electronic concept mapping (ECM) software, Inspiration, to support the writing of narrative and compare/contrast essays. Prompted think-aloud protocols (PTAP) and stimulated recalls were used to uncover the factors that influenced students' use of ECM software. Additionally, this study explored the differences, if any, in how above-average writers used the software to plan, draft, and revise essays compared with average and below-average writers. The classroom teacher and the librarian provided instruction in how to use Inspiration to create four essays over the course of the school year. Qualitative data analysis revealed that the most predominant factor that influenced students' use of ECM software was instruction. Furthermore, the data revealed that all students wrote narrative essays that were longer and included more new details and more elaboration of existing details. Additionally, there were some instances in which above-average writers made decisions based on their knowledge of writing that were different from decisions made by average and below-average writers. Findings indicate that teachers' instructional delivery is more likely to help students use technology to support writing when they integrate knowledge of pedagogy, content, and technology. Implications for professional development and future research are provided.