Investigating Zhe Jiang University Students’ Views on Mind Mapping for EFL Reading Comprehension

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore Zhe Jiang University students’ beliefs and perceptions on the use of mind mapping technique (MMT) in EFL reading comprehension (ERC). The objective of this study was to examine Zhe Jiang University students’ views on the use of mind mapping technique in EFL reading comprehension (ERC). The participants of this study were 144 first-year English major students purposely selected from Zhe Jiang University. The researcher adopted mixed-method. The instruments for data collection used in this study were Five-Likert questionnaires and semi-structured interview. It showed that there is high reliability with the 4 parts of questionnaires, and each part got high Cronbach's Alpha values of 0.802, 0.942, 0.737 and 0.837 respectively. The findings of quantitative survey revealed participants hold the belief that the use of mind mapping technique (MMT) is useful for EFL reading comprehension (ERC). The qualitative interview suggested that students hold positive perception of using mind mapping technique (MMT) in EFL reading comprehension (ERC). As a conclusion, this study suggested that Zhe Jiang University students hold positive beliefs and perceptions on the use of mind mapping technique (MMT) in EFL reading comprehension (ERC). This study provides theoretical basis for subsequent related academic research. It provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of mind mapping techniques in enhancing EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading comprehension among university students.The results of this study have the potential to guide educational practices and curriculum design, and may inspire further research into innovative teaching strategies in the EFL context, thereby contributing to the improvement of educational outcomes globally.