A Longitudinal, Multidicipline Study of HS Students Modeling in Science

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While understanding and reasoning in the sciences involve diverse intellectual activities, one stands out as central the use of discipline-specific, explanatory models to conduct inquiries into natural phenomena. The importance of explanatory models in science has been described by scientists (Mayr, 1991) as well as those who study science (Kitcher, 1984; Laudan, 1977; and Giere, 1988). Similarly science education reform documents (Science Education Standards , NRC, 1995; and Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy, AAAS, 1993) stress the importance of models and inquiry to students' understanding of science. We agree with this position and feel that by the time students graduate from high school they should have had multiple opportunities to learn about the nature of science as a modeling activity. Such opportunities include extensive inquiry experiences in which they develop, use, revise, and assess explanatory models in a variety of science disciplines.Students must understand the role that explanatory models play in inquiry if they are to develop a realistic vision of what scientific practice entails. This alone is a powerful argument in favor of model-based science instruction. However, our previous research has shown that focusing on important disciplinary models in high school classrooms also helps students to understand and organize "big" ideas in science (Cartier, 1998). Consequently, we have collaborated with high school science teachers to develop innovative courses and units of instruction that allow students numerous and varied experiences learning about science from a modeling perspective. In the school within which we work first- and second-year students are required to enroll in two interdisciplinary courses, Science I and Science II. In these courses, we have developed model-based instruction on the celestial motion, kinetic molecular theory, genetics, physiology, and evolution. For third- and fourth-year students, we have developed model-based curricula for nine-week elective courses in astronomy, genetics, and evolutionary biology. To date, we have conducted research on students' reasoning in genetics and evolutionary biology in the elective fourth-year courses (with NSF support) and on teaching and classroom structure. With this proposal we seek funding to extend that research. Specifically, we are proposing a longitudinal study of students' reasoning and argumentation as it develops throughout the model- and inquiry-centered Science I and II courses (required for all students). In particular, we will (1) study the development of students' understanding of the role of explanatory models in discipline-specific inquiries, and (2) examine how students use initial models to solve realistic problems in diverse disciplines, revise initial models in light of anomalous data, and assess the revised models using both empirical and conceptual criteria. Finally, we will assess students' understanding of central concepts in the biological, earth, and physical sciences as they develop throughout the two-years of model-based instruction.