Metamodeling Knowledge: Developing Students' Understanding of Scientific Modeling
Metamodeling Knowledge: Developing Students' Understanding of Scientific Modeling
复制标题
元建模知识：培养学生对科学建模的理解
DOI：
10.1207/s1532690xci2302_1
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发表时间：
2005
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
B. White
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
C. Schwarz;B. White
我们认为，学习科学模型的性质和效用，并参与创建和测试模型的过程中，应该是科学教育的中心焦点。为了实现这一愿景，我们创建并评估了模型增强的ThinkerTools（METT）课程，这是一个面向中学生的探究式物理课程，他们在其中了解科学模型的本质并参与建模过程。我们方法的关键组成部分包括使学生能够创建表达自己的力和运动理论的计算机模型，使用准确性和合理性等标准评估他们的模型，并参与有关模型和建模过程的讨论。在一所城市中学的四个理科班进行的课程试验表明，这种方法可以显著提高学生对建模的理解。进一步的分析表明，这种方法在澄清和扩大学生对模型的性质和目的的理解方面特别成功。METT课程还导致了探究技能和物理知识的显着改善。METT学生的表现与以前的ThinkerTools学生的比较表明，元建模知识的获取有助于这些收益。特别是，METT学生在探究测试中写出了更好的结论，并且在物理测试中的一些远迁移问题上表现得更好。最后，相关性的结果，包括显着的相关性的前测建模和调查成绩与后测物理成绩，表明开发知识的建模和调查转移到这样的课程中的科学内容的学习。两者合计，研究结果表明，强调基于模型的调查，伴随着元建模知识的发展，可以促进学习科学内容，同时也发展学生对科学企业的理解。
We argue that learning about the nature and utility of scientific models and engaging in the process of creating and testing models should be a central focus of science education. To realize this vision, we created and evaluated the Model-Enhanced ThinkerTools (METT) Curriculum, which is an inquiry-oriented physics curriculum for middle school students in which they learn about the nature of scientific models and engage in the process of modeling. Key components of our approach include enabling students to create computer models that express their own theories of force and motion, evaluate their models using criteria such as accuracy and plausibility, and engage in discussions about models and the process of modeling. Curricular trials in four science classes of an urban middle school indicate that this approach can facilitate a significant improvement in students' understanding of modeling. Further analyses revealed that the approach was particularly successful in clarifying and broadening students' understanding of the nature and purpose of models. The METT Curriculum also led to significant improvements in inquiry skills and physics knowledge. Comparisons of METT students' performance with that of prior ThinkerTools students suggest that the acquisition of metamodeling knowledge contributed to these gains. In particular, METT students wrote significantly better conclusions on the inquiry test and performed better on some of the far-transfer problems on the physics test. Finally, correlational results, including significant correlations of pretest modeling and inquiry scores with posttest physics scores, suggests that developing knowledge of modeling and inquiry transfers to the learning of science content within such a curriculum. Taken together, the findings suggest that an emphasis on model-based inquiry, accompanied by the development of metamodeling knowledge, can facilitate learning science content while also developing students' understanding of the scientific enterprise.