POWRE: Investigating Students' Models and Model-Based Reasoning in Plate Tectonics

小行星9806141 本研究探讨学生学习板块构造领域，作为一个领域的代表困难，因果关系复杂的领域在中学遇到的。 一项试点研究，解决了学生的教学前模型的性质，导致模型的类型学的发展，在中学观察。 这些模型的范围从空间不正确的模型到因果关系复杂的模型，这些模型集成了多种与热相关的机制（即，加热的核心，对流形成），和运动相关的机制（电流推动板块板块移动分开，等等）。 两项实证研究的结果表明，多重推理任务（即，基于知识的和基于解释的）可用于促进模型的构建和修订。 本研究的目的是确定在每一个条件下，即，非结构化和非结构化学习条件下的特定模式的学习过程。 这些发现，沿着那些从以前的试点数据将被用来确定和完善一套地球和促进发展的丰富，综合的心理模型。 这种强调模型和建模任务的科学方法认识到需要发展建模等过程技能，以促进终身学习和科学素养。 ***

9806141 Gobert This research examines student learning in the domain of plate tectonics, as one domain representative of a difficult, causally complex domain encountered in middle school. A pilot study, which addressed the nature of students' pre-instruction models lead to the development of a typology of models, observed in middle school. These range from spatially incorrect models to causally complex models, which integrate multiple heat-related mechanisms (i.e., heated core, and convection currents forming), and movement-related mechanisms (currents pushing on the plates plates moving apart, etc.). The results of two empirical studies suggest that multiple inference tasks (i.e., diagram-based and explanation-based) could be used to promote model construction and revision. The goal of the present research is to identify modality-specific learning processes in each condition, namely, the diagram-construct and explanation-construct learning conditions. The findings, along with those from previous pilot data will be used to identify and refine a set of the earth and promoting the development of rich, integrated mental models. This approach to science, which emphasizes models and modeling tasks, recognizes the need to develop process skills such as model building in order to promote lifelong learning and scientific literacy. ***