EXP: SiMSAM: Bridging Student, Scientific, and Mathematical Models with Expressive Technologies

EXP：SiMSAM：用表达技术连接学生、科学和数学模型

• 批准号: 1217100
• 负责人: Brian Gravel
• 金额: $ 54.64万
• 依托单位: Tufts University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1217100&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EXP; SiMSAM; Bridging; Student; Scientific

The purpose of this project is to shed light on two important questions in science education and cyberlearning: (1) How can we study and support the ways in which students learn to use simulation and data analysis technologies as tools of scientific discourse? (2) What is the pedagogical potential of such an approach? The project explores the feasibility of a novel web-based modeling environment, SiMSAM, that will allow students in grades 5-8 to easily produce dynamic Stop-Action Motion animations that illustrate scientific events using everyday materials (e.g., construction paper, cotton balls, drawing, etc.) with which they are already familiar; analogous computer simulations using a novel visual interface that allows them to import and "give instructions" to images from their original animations; collect, analyze, and graph data generated by their simulations; and share, trade, and test their creations. Students use SiMSAM to explore kinetic molecular phenomena by completing activities that invite them to represent "unseen" events involving air pressure, sound propagation, and evaporation. Analysis focuses on new forms of learning afforded by the tool (especially the adoption of simulation and data analysis as tools of scientific discourse) and identifying potential shifts in students' reasoning about causal mechanism in the modeled phenomena, their adoption of kinetic molecular theory as a conceptual model, and their understanding of the nature of scientific models in STEM disciplines. The project integrates contemporary learning theory regarding the value of students' productive resources for reasoning about scientific and mathematical topics, model-based approaches in science and mathematics education, and the importance of computational simulation as a pedagogical and professional tool.This project will prototype new technologies that will allow middle-school students to learn science through scientific modeling, an approach with potential for promoting deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying phenomena in the world. The software, called SimSAM, allows students to create animations and simulations of phenomena related to molecular kinetics - an important content area across grades K-16. The technology uses cross-platform, web-based technologies that do not require a special device or download and will thus be easily usable in schools without the need to download specialized software applications. The project's products will include curriculum materials for promoting learning the particle theory of matter and software that can eventually become a robust toolkit for students to engage with a wide variety of dynamic scientific phenomena across the science curriculum.

本项目的目的是阐明科学教育和网络学习中的两个重要问题：（1）我们如何研究和支持学生学习使用模拟和数据分析技术作为科学话语工具的方法？(2)这种方法的教学潜力是什么？该项目探讨了一种新的基于网络的建模环境SiMSAM的可行性，该环境将允许5-8年级的学生轻松制作动态停止动作动画，使用日常材料（例如，建筑用纸、棉球、图纸等）他们已经很熟悉了;模拟计算机模拟使用一种新颖的视觉界面，允许他们从原始动画中导入图像并“给出指令”;收集、分析和绘制模拟生成的数据;分享、交易和测试他们的创作。学生使用SiMSAM通过完成邀请他们代表涉及气压，声音传播和蒸发的“看不见”事件的活动来探索动力学分子现象。分析的重点是新形式的学习所提供的工具（特别是采用模拟和数据分析作为科学话语的工具），并确定潜在的转变，在学生的推理因果机制的建模现象，他们采用动力学分子理论作为概念模型，并在他们的理解科学模型的性质在STEM学科。该项目整合了当代学习理论，即学生对科学和数学主题进行推理的生产性资源的价值，科学和数学教育中基于模型的方法，以及计算模拟作为教学和专业工具的重要性。该项目将开发新技术，使中学生能够通过科学建模学习科学，这是一种有潜力促进深入了解世界现象背后的机制的方法。该软件名为SimSAM，允许学生创建与分子动力学相关的现象的动画和模拟-这是K-16年级的重要内容领域。该技术使用跨平台、基于网络的技术，不需要特殊设备或下载，因此在学校很容易使用，无需下载专门的软件应用程序。该项目的产品将包括促进学习物质粒子理论的课程材料和软件，这些软件最终可以成为学生在科学课程中参与各种动态科学现象的强大工具包。