Collaborative Research: BeSocratic: A Free-form, Interactive System to Investigate the Development of Representational Competence

稳健的学习需要概念理解和程序流畅。化学是一门困难的学科，原因之一是学生必须用分子水平（即不可见的、充满概念的）解释来理解宏观现象。存在广泛的模型和可视化来表示分子水平结构，反应细节和材料的反应性。学生必须学会流畅而有意义地使用这些表征，以达到对分子概念的严格理解（而不仅仅是记忆它们）。然而，越来越明显的是，学习如何构建和使用这些表示比许多教师认识到的要困难得多。这个项目建立在OrganicPad和socrates graphs的基础上。它正在进一步将这两个程序整合到BeSocratic系统中，并扩展分析系统。通过将一群化学家和计算机科学家聚集在一起，一个系统正在开发和实施，该系统允许研究如何提高化学学生“在野外”的表征能力。这些首席研究员之前的研究已经产生了一个关于学生如何构建和使用表征的大型信息数据库，该项目进一步开发和部署了一个灵活的基于网络的系统，BeSocratic，可以识别和响应自由形式的学生输入。这种输入以图形表示的形式出现，包括化学结构、反应和图形。具体地说，正在根据先前的研究，结合人们如何学习的现有证据，制定辅导课和形成性评估活动。因为一个学科团队已经就位，并且因为OrganicPad和socrates graphs的工作版本已经存在，化学被选为开发、评估和部署新材料的“试验台”。正在开发的系统，以及通过项目研究活动获得的见解，预计将直接适用于其他STEM学科，包括物理、生物、数学和工程。智力优势：该研究正在调查哪些因素可以提高学生构建和使用表征的技能，例如：实际绘制结构（与使用模板识别或构建相反）是否可以提高学生的理解能力？使用手势（可以被BeSocratic触摸屏或触控板界面捕获）是否可以提高学生使用表示的流畅性？情境式、苏格拉底式提问和反馈的使用能否提高学生对表征意义的概念性理解？通过回答诸如此类的问题，可以了解学生是如何发展表征能力的，以及什么样的教学技术可以提高学生的学习。更广泛的影响：使用BeSocratic系统可以调查从入门（和高中）化学课程到研究生水平教学的活动。这个项目将产生两个深远的影响。第一个是找到什么“有效”地产生更强劲的表征能力发展。从绘制结构到理解机械有机化学，BeSocratic系统和混合方法研究设计的结果将用于通知化学社区。第二个重要的影响是为在线系统的工作提供了证据。要采用一种新的学习方式，它必须相对容易使用，没有陡峭的学习曲线。如果在线教学系统旨在提供经过研究验证的有效活动，并将程序流畅性和概念理解结合起来，那么学生的学习将更加稳健。BeSocratic系统将在网上提供，研究结果将在专业会议上展示。将在区域和国家会议上为有兴趣了解研究成果或使用BeSocratic系统的教师提供讲习班。

Robust learning requires both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency. One reason chemistry is a difficult subject is that students must understand macroscopic phenomena using molecular level (that is, non-visible, and concept laden) explanations. A wide range of models and visualizations exist to represent molecular level structures, reaction details, and reactivity of materials. Students must learn to use these representations both fluidly and meaningfully in order to achieve a rigorous understanding of molecular concepts (rather than merely memorizing them). However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that learning how to construct and use these representations is far more difficult than many instructors recognize. This project builds upon work that has resulted in the creation of OrganicPad and SocraticGraphs. It is further integrating both programs into the BeSocratic system and expanding the analysis system. By bringing together a group of chemists and computer scientists, a system is being developed and implemented that allows investigations into how to improve the representational competence of chemistry students "in the wild." Previous research by these Principal Investigators has produced a large database of information on how students construct and use representations, and this project further develops and deploys a flexible, web-based system, BeSocratic, that can recognize and respond to free-form student input. This input is in the form of graphical representations that include chemical structures, reactions, and graphs. Specifically, tutorials and formative assessment activities are being developed based on the previous research in combination with the available evidence of how people learn. Because a disciplinary team was already in place, and because working versions existed of OrganicPad and SocraticGraphs, chemistry was chosen as the "test-bed" for the development, assessment and deployment of the new materials. The systems being developed, and the insights being gained through the project's research activities, are expected to be directly applicable to other STEM disciplines, including physics, biology, mathematics, and engineering. Intellectual Merit: The research is investigating what factors improve student skill in constructing and using representations, such as: Does actually drawing a structure (as opposed to recognizing or construction using a template) improve student understanding? Can the use of gesture, which can be captured by the BeSocratic touchscreen or track pad interfaces, improve the fluidity by which students use representations? Can the use of contextual, Socratic questioning and feedback improve student conceptual understanding of the meaning of the representations? By answering questions such as these, an understanding is being gained of how students develop representational competence, and what instructional techniques can enhance student learning. Broader Impacts: The use of the BeSocratic system allows the investigation of activities from the introductory (and high school) chemistry course to graduate level instruction. Two far-reaching impacts will result from this project. The first is finding what "works" to produce more robust development of representational competence. From drawing structures to understanding mechanistic organic chemistry, the results from the BeSocratic system and mixed method research designs will be used to inform the chemistry community. The second important impact is to provide evidence for what works with on-line systems. For a new learning modality to be adopted it must be relatively easy to use, with no steep learning curve. If online teaching and learning systems are designed to provide research-validated, effective activities that incorporate both procedural fluency and conceptual understanding, the result will be more robust learning by students. The BeSocratic system will be available on the web, and research findings will be presented at professional meetings. Workshops for faculty interested in learning about the research findings or in using the BeSocratic system will be offered at regional and national meetings.