Scaffolding Students' Interdisciplinary Computational and Computational Thinking Approaches For Engaging in Multilevel Environmental Systems Modeling

为学生参与多层次环境系统建模提供跨学科计算和计算思维方法的支架

• 批准号: 1842035
• 负责人: Daniel Damelin
• 金额: $ 192.7万
• 依托单位: Concord Consortium
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1842035&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Scaffolding; Students; Interdisciplinary; Computational; Thinking

As computing has become integral to the practice of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the STEM+Computing program seeks to address emerging challenges in computational STEM areas through the applied integration of computational thinking and computing activities within STEM teaching and learning in early childhood education through high school (preK-12). This project is supported by the STEM+C program and will advance its mission by building on the work of a previous project that developed a system modeling tool, SageModeler, for use by middle and high school students. This project will: (1) Extend the capabilities of the modeling tool to scaffold construction of system dynamics models; (2) Develop curricular materials that support students in creating, testing, revising, and sharing dynamic models of natural systems; (3) Research the progression of student modeling practices and computational thinking across curricular contexts; and (4) Study instructional challenges teacher encounter when adopting a model-based approach to teaching topics in physics, chemistry, biology, Earth science, and environmental science at the high school level. The goal of this project is to advance understanding of how student modeling practices and computational thinking develop over time and across investigations of phenomena of increasing complexity. The project will also develop a set of curricular materials that support students in creating, testing, revising, and sharing system dynamic models in order to make sense of complex natural phenomena. The modeling tool and all materials will be made freely available to schools and teachers, and the software has been translated into several languages, including Spanish. With translation options and a tool that is designed to facilitate computational modeling without traditional coding or the writing of mathematical equations, this project has the potential to broaden the participation of a greater diversity of students in STEM and computational thinking. Systems thinking and computational modeling are essential practices for addressing some of the most challenging scientific and societal problems, but systems thinking and causal reasoning are difficult for students. The outcomes of complex system models can be counterintuitive, and it is often difficult to know which components of a system will have significant impacts on outcomes. To facilitate student engagement in modeling complex natural systems, the free, web-based SageModeler tool was developed and tested with middle and high school students. The existing tool is limited, however, in its ability to support the development of reliable models of complex dynamic systems. This project is guided by the hypothesis that student computational practices and modeling of complex natural systems can be improved through use of improved modeling software, development of appropriate curricular scaffolds, and providing teachers with professional learning opportunities to gain relevant pedagogical content knowledge related to system modeling, computational thinking, and the natural phenomena to be explored. To test this hypothesis, this research and development project will pursue answers to three research questions: (1) How do scientific explanations of phenomena evolve as students engage in computational thinking in the context of system modeling? (2) In what ways can curricular materials and technological tools best scaffold the development of students' computational thinking and system modeling practice? And (3) What pedagogical strategies are effective for scaffolding students in computational thinking through modeling complex systems? A variety of data sources and data analytic approaches will be employed throughout the course of the project to guide development of materials and track outcomes among participating students and teachers in two geographic locations having diverse student populations. The overall goal of the project is to research and disseminate technological, curricular, and pedagogical scaffolds needed to support students and teachers in developing computational thinking in the context of system modeling and utilizing a system modeling approach for exploring phenomena across multiple STEM disciplines. In pursuing this goal, the project will: (1) Expand the modeling capabilities of SageModeler and the ability to share models within an online activity delivery and reporting system; (2) Refine and adapt existing curricular units and create new units as needed for five major secondary school STEM disciplines; (3) Conduct research on how students learn while engaging in systems thinking and modeling; (4) Develop educative teacher materials and a professional learning program that includes a professional learning community focusing on system modeling and computational thinking; and (5) Disseminate project products and research findings broadly.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.

随着计算已成为科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）实践的组成部分，STEM+计算计划旨在通过在幼儿教育中应用计算思维和计算活动的整合来解决计算STEM领域的新挑战。该项目由STEM+C程序支持，并将通过建立以前的项目，开发了一个系统建模工具，SageModeler，供初中和高中学生使用的工作，推进其使命。该项目将：（1）扩展建模工具的功能，以构建系统动力学模型;（2）开发课程材料，支持学生创建，测试，修改和共享自然系统的动态模型;（3）研究学生建模实践和跨课程背景的计算思维的进展;（4）教师在高中物理、化学、生物、地球科学和环境科学中采用基于模型的教学方法时遇到的教学挑战。该项目的目标是促进学生建模实践和计算思维如何随着时间的推移和跨日益复杂的现象的调查发展的理解。该项目还将开发一套课程材料，支持学生创建，测试，修改和共享系统动态模型，以了解复杂的自然现象。建模工具和所有材料将免费提供给学校和教师，该软件已被翻译成多种语言，包括西班牙语。通过翻译选项和旨在促进计算建模而无需传统编码或编写数学方程的工具，该项目有可能扩大学生在STEM和计算思维方面的参与。 系统思维和计算建模是解决一些最具挑战性的科学和社会问题的基本实践，但系统思维和因果推理对学生来说很难。复杂系统模型的结果可能是违反直觉的，并且通常很难知道系统的哪些组件会对结果产生重大影响。为了促进学生参与建模复杂的自然系统，免费的，基于Web的SageModeler工具的开发和测试与初中和高中学生。现有的工具是有限的，但是，在其能力，以支持复杂的动态系统的可靠模型的发展。该项目的指导假设是，学生的计算实践和复杂的自然系统的建模可以通过使用改进的建模软件，适当的课程支架的发展，并提供专业的学习机会，教师获得相关的教学内容的知识，系统建模，计算思维和自然现象进行了探索。为了验证这一假设，本研究和开发项目将寻求三个研究问题的答案：（1）当学生在系统建模的背景下进行计算思维时，现象的科学解释如何演变？(2)课程材料和技术工具以何种方式最好地支撑学生的计算思维和系统建模实践的发展？以及（3）什么样的教学策略是有效的支架学生通过模拟复杂系统的计算思维？在整个项目过程中，将采用各种数据来源和数据分析方法，以指导材料的开发，并跟踪两个学生群体不同的地理位置的参与学生和教师的成果。该项目的总体目标是研究和传播所需的技术，课程和教学支架，以支持学生和教师在系统建模的背景下发展计算思维，并利用系统建模方法探索多个STEM学科的现象。为实现这一目标，该项目将：（1）扩大SageModeler的建模能力，以及在在线活动交付和报告系统内共享模型的能力;（2）完善和调整现有课程单元，并根据需要为五个主要的中学STEM学科创建新单元;（3）研究学生如何在进行系统思维和建模的同时学习;（4）研究学生如何在系统思维和建模的同时学习。（4）开发教育性教师材料和专业学习计划，其中包括专注于系统建模和计算思维的专业学习社区;以及（5）广泛传播项目产品和研究成果。该奖项反映了NSF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进行评估，被认为值得支持的搜索.

项目成果

Characterizing Advantages and Challenges for Students Engaging in Computational Thinking and Systems Thinking Through Model Construction

通过模型构建描述学生从事计算思维和系统思维的优势和挑战

• DOI: 10.22318/icls2020.183
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS
• 作者: Eidin, E.;Bielik, T.;Touitou, I.;Bowers, J.;McIntyre, C.;Damelin, D.
• 通讯作者: Damelin, D.

The effect of using different computational system modeling approaches on applying systems thinking

使用不同的计算系统建模方法对应用系统思维的影响

• DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1173792
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Frontiers in Education
• 影响因子: 2.3
• 作者: Eidin, Emil;Bowers, Jonathan;Damelin, Dan;Krajcik, Joe
• 通讯作者: Krajcik, Joe

Professional Learning to Promote Three-Dimensional Teaching Using Computational Modeling in Remote Classroom Contexts

在远程课堂环境中使用计算模型促进三维教学的专业学习

• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2022
• 作者: Shin, N.;Brennan L.;Bowers, J.;Eidin, E.;Stephens, L.;McIntyre, C.;Roderick, S.;Damelin, D.
• 通讯作者: Damelin, D.

Keeping Cool With SageModeler: Engaging Students in Systems Thinking and Computational Thinking Through Modeling

与 SageModeler 保持冷静：通过建模让学生参与系统思维和计算思维

• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: The science teacher
• 作者: Bowers, J.;Damelin, D.;Eidin, E.;McIntyre, C.
• 通讯作者: McIntyre, C.

Promoting computational thinking through project-based learning

• DOI: 10.1186/s43031-021-00033-y
• 发表时间: 2021-08-02
• 期刊: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research
• 作者: Shin N;Bowers J;Krajcik J;Damelin D
• 通讯作者: Damelin D