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展，并调查其在两个年级段的实施情况。 该项目的重点是建模的科学实践，因为它在科学实践和科学学习的工具中的中心地位。 一个学习进程的特点是适合于学习者的实践的变化，以及一系列可能的更复杂的实践版本。 一个科学实践的学习过程包含;（a）适合于学习者的目标实践模式，（B）学习者直觉理解和实践的起点，（c）一系列依次更复杂的理解和实践，和（d）指导支持，以帮助学习者发展的做法。拟议的工作的理论贡献是发展一个经验-测试科学建模的学习进度。 该项目确定了两个相关的建模学习目标，作为它将跟踪的两个主要结构：建模实践和元建模知识。 每个结构都被分解为几个进度变量，这些变量可以跨时间进行跟踪。 该项目将提供一个关键的科学实践，科学建模的辅助学习进展。 尽管该领域已经产生了快照，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来展示实践如何跨年发展。作为项目的一部分创建的特定教学材料可以作为其他开发人员可以用来设计支持科学建模和其他实践的材料的模型。 作为教师支持形式的教育课程材料模型可以进行调整，以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.