Adaptive Training of Representational Flexibility for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

认知表征灵活性是指使用多个外部表征，在它们之间灵活切换，并为特定任务选择或生成适当表征的能力。这种认知能力对于跨STEM和计算领域的计算思维和问题解决的实践至关重要。然而，对于大多数学习者来说，认知过程中表征灵活性的发展和实施是非常困难的，对自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）学生来说尤其如此。有证据表明，与普通人群或其他残疾群体相比，入读大学的ASD学生更有可能被stem相关专业所吸引，但他们需要在代表性灵活性方面进行培训，这被认为是他们入读大学的一个障碍。本项目旨在研究自闭症青少年在STEM、计算推理和问题解决方面的表征灵活性的个性化训练，从而解决这一学习群体进入大学的一个重大障碍，否则这一群体有可能成为未来STEM人才的来源。研究人员将利用3D虚拟现实（VR）和身体感官技术来创建一个适应性的、具有代表性的灵活性训练计划，帮助参与者学习如何在3D虚拟现实环境中设计和编码模拟和游戏。该项目被称为力和运动自适应表示（FM-AR），将促进参与者选择、连接、转换和构建物理和数学问题的多模态表示的能力，同时在基于vr的仿真设计和编程过程中练习和实验计算概念。由于计算在STEM学科中的强大创新和应用，STEM+C项目支持跨学科和跨学科方法的研究和开发，以便在正式和非正式环境中为pre -12学生整合STEM教学和学习中的计算。这个跨学科项目将通过研究表征灵活性作为在STEM领域内和跨领域整合计算思维的关键门槛，并指定导致表征灵活性发展和表现的条件，特别是对于有特殊需求的学习者，来推进STEM+计算教育的研究和实践。通过基于设计的混合方法研究自闭症青少年的计算行为及其在FM-AR项目中的学习成果，将探讨以下研究问题：在fm - ar支持的模拟设计和编程中，ASD青少年将实施哪些代表性实践？2. 自闭症青少年如何以及在什么情况下表现出计算推理和科学/数学问题解决的代表性灵活性？3. 在FM-AR中，ASD青少年如何与适应性表征实践支持互动？适应性支持对参与者的影响是什么？在物理和数学相关的计算实践中表征灵活性的发展？研究者将通过(a)个性化地选择和呈现不同类型和灵活性要求的表征实践任务来研究上述研究问题；(b)通过实时学习者数据挖掘和建模进行表征性绩效评估；(c)在物理和数学相关的计算实践中，评估驱动的线索和提示来支撑表征、解释、比较、协调和适应。该项目旨在生成一个概念和设计框架，用于管理STEM+计算学习环境的设计和研究，为异质学习者群体提供表征灵活性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Cognitive representational flexibility is the ability to use multiple external representations, switch flexibly between them, and select or generate appropriate representations for particular tasks. This cognitive capability is critical for the practices of computational thinking and problem solving across STEM and computing domains. However, the development and enactment of representational flexibility in cognitive processes is effortful and demanding for most learners, but particularly so for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Evidence suggests that students with ASD enrolling in colleges are more likely than members of the general population or other disability groups to gravitate toward STEM-related majors, but their need for training in representational flexibility has been identified as a barrier to their college enrollment. This project aims to study individualized training of representational flexibility for STEM and computational reasoning and problem solving among adolescents with ASD, hence addressing a significant barrier to college enrollment of this learner group who otherwise have the potential to become future sources of STEM talent. Researchers will utilize 3D virtual reality (VR) with body sensory technologies to create an adaptive, representational flexibility training program that helps participants learn how to design and code simulations and games in a 3D virtual-reality context. This program, called Force and Motion-Adaptive Representation (FM-AR), will facilitate participants' ability to select, connect, convert, and construct multimodal representations of physics and mathematics problems while practicing and experimenting with computational concepts during VR-based simulation design and programming. As a result of the powerful innovation and application of computing in STEM disciplines, the STEM+C program supports research and development of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to the integration of computing within STEM teaching and learning for preK-12 students in both formal and informal settings. This interdisciplinary project will advance the research and practice of STEM+Computing education by investigating representational flexibility as the critical threshold for integrating computational thinking in and across STEM domains, and specifying the conditions that lead to the development and manifestation of representational flexibility, especially for learners with special needs. Via a design-based, mixed-method research of the computational behaviors of adolescents with ASD and their learning outcomes in the FM-AR program, the following research questions will be investigated: 1. What representational practices will adolescents with ASD implement during FM-AR-supported simulation design and programming? 2. How and under what circumstances will adolescents with ASD demonstrate representational flexibility for computational reasoning and scientific/mathematical problem solving? 3. How will adolescents with ASD interact with adaptive representational-practice support in FM-AR? What is the effect of the adaptive support on participants? development of representational flexibility during physics- and math-related computational practices? Researchers will study the above research questions with (a) individualized selection and presentation of representational-practice tasks in variant types and flexibility demands; (b) representational performance assessment via real-time learner data mining and modeling; and (c) assessment-driven cues and prompts to scaffold representation interpretation, comparison, coordination, and adaptation during physics- and mathematics-related computational practices. This project aims to generate a conceptual and design framework governing the design and research of a STEM+Computing learning environment that scaffolds representational flexibility for a heterogeneous learner group.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.