A Learning Progression for Scientific Modeling

该项目是一项为期42个月的研究和开发工作，旨在开发科学建模的学习进度，并调查其在两个年级的实施情况。该项目侧重于建模的科学实践，因为它在科学实践和科学学习的媒介中都处于中心地位。学习进阶的特点是适合学习者的练习的变化，以及学习者可能的一系列连续更复杂的练习版本。科学实践的学习过程包括：(a)适合学习者的目标练习模型，(b)学习者直觉理解和实践的起点，(c)一系列连续的更复杂的理解和实践，以及(d)帮助学习者发展实践的教学支持。提出的工作的理论贡献是为科学建模开发一个经实证检验的学习进展。该项目为建模确定了两个相关的学习目标，作为它将跟踪的两个主要构造：建模实践和元建模知识。每个构造都被分解成几个进度变量，这些变量可以随时间跟踪。该项目将为一个关键的科学实践——科学建模——提供一个经验支持的学习过程。尽管该领域已经产生了一些快照，展示了让学习者参与科学实践的前景，但缺乏系统的实证研究，证明实践如何在多年内发展。作为项目一部分创建的特定指导材料可以作为模型，其他开发人员可以使用它来设计支持科学建模和其他实践的材料。教育课程材料的模式作为教师支持的一种形式，可以用来支持教师学习其他课程材料中的建模或其他科学实践。

The project is a 42-month research and development effort to develop a learning progression for scientific modeling and investigate its implementation in two grade bands. The project focuses on the scientific practice of modeling because of its centrality in both the practice of science and as a vehicle for science learning. A learning progression characterizes variations of the practice that are appropriate for learners, and a sequence of successively more complex versions of that practice possible for learners. A learning progression for a scientific practice contains; (a) a model of the target practice appropriate for learners, (b) the starting points of learners' intuitive understandings and practices, (c) a sequence of successively more sophisticated understandings and practices, and (d) instructional supports to help learners develop the practice.The theoretical contribution of the proposed work is to develop an empirically-tested learning progression for scientific modeling. The project identifies two related learning goals for modeling that serve as the two major constructs it will track: modeling practices and metamodeling knowledge. Each construct is broken into several progress variables that are tracked across time. The project will provide an empirically-supported learning progression for a key scientific practice, scientific modeling. Although the field has produced snapshots demonstrating the promise of engaging learners in scientific practices, systematic empirical research demonstrating how the practice can develop across years is lacking. The specific instructional materials created as part of the project can serve as a model other developers can use to design materials supporting scientific modeling and other practices. The model for educative curriculum materials as a form of teacher support can be adapted to support teacher learning about modeling or other scientific practices in other curriculum materials.