The purpose of this article is to examine how computer-assisted concept mapping improves students’ metacognitive activities and their learning performance in a Nanotechnology course.Thirty-two university students in Taiwan participated in an eight-week computer-assisted nanotechnology course, in which they were divided into nine groups and each group was required to
construct two concept maps collaboratively through a web platform. The first map was constructed in the second week and the second map was constructed in the last week. The learning performance revealed by the quality difference between the two maps was evaluated and correlated with their
reaction to concept maps and their metacognitive activities which were measured by a questionnaire survey. Afterward, in-depth interviews were carried out to further explore the process of their metacognitive activities. Data collected from both quantitative and qualitative research methods
affirmed that concept mapping facilitates metacognitive behavior in terms of awareness,
comprehension, execution and evaluation.
