Developing a Research-Based Learning Progression for the Carbon Cycle: Transformations of Matter and Energy in Biogeochemical Systems

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This project will study the development of a learning progression: a coherent account of the development of students' reasoning about the role of carbon in environmental systems, based on old and new research. The role of carbon in environmental systems includes physical and chemical changes in matter, growth and decay of plants and animals, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, matter cycling and energy flow in ecosystems, and the effects of humans and human technologies on these processes. Products of this project will include:1. A longitudinal description of children's learning that documents strands in the development of elementary through high school students' conceptual understanding and ability to use this knowledge. This account will be based in part on a synthesis of existing research, including research done by the project PI's and consultants. The project will conduct new research that builds on prior work, fills in gaps, and validates findings for a sample of American students that spans major subgroups. 2. Validated assessments that measure student understanding of matter and energy transformations in biogeochemical systems at the upper elementary, middle school, and high school levels. The assessment system is based on progress variables defined in the longitudinal description of children's learning. The system will include both embedded assessments for use in classrooms and link tests that form the basis of a systematically designed large-scale assessment program. These assessments will be used for a survey of student reasoning in a sample of rural, urban, and suburban classrooms. The assessments will be made available to large-scale assessment developers and classroom teachers through the BEAR Assessment System.3. Reports of teaching experiments focusing on students' reasoning when they encounter challenging questions about environmental systems in resource-rich classrooms. These reports will capture the dynamics of learning-both successful learning by students who master key conceptual tools and practices and barriers to successful learning. The teaching experiments will be conducted in rural, urban, and suburban classrooms at the upper elementary, middle, and high school levels.