Transforming Elementary Science Learning through LEGO(TM) Engineering Design

通过 LEGO(TM) 工程设计改变基础科学学习

• 批准号: 0633952
• 负责人: Chris Rogers
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Tufts University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-15 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0633952&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Transforming; Elementary; Science; Learning; through

This project addresses the need for improved learning and teaching of science in the elementary grades. The investigators propose to address this need through the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative engineering-based science curriculum for grades 3-5. The first specific objective of this activity is to measure what and how students learn from engineering design challenges tailored to standards-based science concepts. The second objective is to establish best practices for designing engineering curricula that are more effective at promoting students' fundamental understanding of and interest in science content. The third objective is to determine whether engineering contexts improve elementary teachers' practice of science instruction. In this activity, we seek to advance theory, design, and practice in the emerging field of elementary-school engineering education, which we believe can motivate and deepen the learning of science. To accomplish the proposed goals, researchers will collaborate closely with participating Boston-area teachers. During year one, investigators will collaborate with teachers to develop a series of curriculum modules that pose engineering design challenges whose solutions require understanding of specific science content. The learning objectives of these modules will be aligned with the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for grades K-4 and the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Frameworks for grades 3-5. The instruction and assessments will be designed according to three sets of requirements: (1) the concerns and experience of the collaborating classroom teachers, (2) the Project 2061 criteria for science curriculum set forth by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and (3) the analytical, creative, and practical domains of Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence. The curriculum will use the LEGO(TM) MINDSTORMS toolset for prototype construction and ROBOLAB (TM) software for algorithm development. These instructional materials have been proven to be engaging and authentic tools for children's engineering. One example of a proposed curriculum module is "Cities in Motion," in which students spend six sessions building and programming LEGO (TM) robotic models of a typical city's fleet of vehicles, including cars, snowplows, bicycles, trains, and buses. Students program their vehicles to interact with each other and work to meet requirements for weight, speed, and strength. Desire to succeed in this engineering design project will motivate students' mastery of NSES content standards about "Position and Motion of Objects," "Properties of Objects and Materials," and "Systems, Order, and Organization." The data from teacher and student studies will be analyzed to answer the following three driving research questions: (1) Does engineering-based science instruction improve 3rd-5th grade students' analytical, creative, practical abilities related to science content, as well as their memory of science content? (2) How are the attitude, engagement, and self-efficacy of both teachers and students affected by the use of engineering design problems to teach science? (3) Does the efficacy of engineering based science instruction depend on demographic characteristics of the students? The primary intellectual merit of the proposed activity includes (1) the contribution of needed systematic research on the efficacy of elementary-level engineering education for science instruction, and (2) the development of new and potentially more effective methods for engineering-based science instruction. The broader impact resulting from the proposed activity is that educators will be empowered to (1) prepare students for a society that is increasingly dependent on understanding of engineering and technology and (2) to build students' interest and competence in math and science. This impact will be achieved through the dissemination of the instructional materials, pedagogical innovations, and research findings generated by collaborating investigators and teachers.

本项目解决了改善小学科学学与教的需要。研究者建议通过开发、实施和评估3-5年级创新的基于工程的科学课程来解决这一需求。这项活动的第一个具体目标是衡量学生从基于标准的科学概念的工程设计挑战中学到什么以及如何学习。第二个目标是建立设计工程课程的最佳实践，以更有效地促进学生对科学内容的基本理解和兴趣。第三个目的是确定工程情境是否能改善小学教师的科学教学实践。在这次活动中，我们寻求在小学工程教育这一新兴领域推进理论、设计和实践，我们相信这可以激励和深化科学的学习。为了实现提出的目标，研究人员将与参与的波士顿地区教师密切合作。在第一年，研究人员将与教师合作开发一系列课程模块，这些课程模块提出工程设计挑战，其解决方案需要理解特定的科学内容。这些模块的学习目标将与K-4年级的国家科学教育标准（NSES）和3-5年级的马萨诸塞州科学技术/工程课程框架保持一致。教学和评估将根据三套要求进行设计：(1)合作课堂教师的关注点和经验，(2)美国科学促进会制定的2061计划科学课程标准，以及(3)斯滕伯格智力三元理论的分析性、创造性和实践性领域。课程将使用LEGO(TM) MINDSTORMS工具集进行原型构建，使用ROBOLAB （TM）软件进行算法开发。这些教学材料已被证明是吸引和真实的工具，为儿童的工程。其中一个提议的课程模块是“运动中的城市”（Cities in Motion）。在这个模块中，学生们需要花6节课的时间，搭建和编程乐高（LEGO）机器人模型，模拟一个典型城市的车辆，包括汽车、扫雪机、自行车、火车和公共汽车。学生们对他们的车辆进行编程，使其相互作用，并满足重量、速度和强度的要求。在这个工程设计项目中取得成功的愿望将激励学生掌握NSES内容标准，包括“物体的位置和运动”、“物体和材料的属性”和“系统、秩序和组织”。本文将对教师和学生的研究数据进行分析，以回答以下三个驱动性研究问题：(1)基于工程的科学教学是否提高了3 -5年级学生与科学内容相关的分析能力、创造力和实践能力，以及他们对科学内容的记忆能力？(2)使用工程设计问题进行科学教学对教师和学生的态度、参与和自我效能感有何影响？(3)基于工程的科学教学效果是否取决于学生的人口统计学特征？所提议的活动的主要智力价值包括：(1)对基础工程教育对科学教学的有效性进行必要的系统研究的贡献，以及(2)为基于工程的科学教学开发新的和可能更有效的方法。提议的活动所产生的更广泛的影响是，教育者将被授权：(1)让学生为一个越来越依赖于对工程和技术的理解的社会做好准备；(2)培养学生对数学和科学的兴趣和能力。这种影响将通过传播教学材料、教学创新和合作调查人员和教师所产生的研究成果来实现。