Collaborative Research: Science Modeling through Physical Computing: Contextualized Computational and Scientific Learning in the Grade 5-6 Classroom

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。在这个STEM+C项目中，学生将建立科学模型，以在5年级和6年级学习科学和计算。 学生将参与计算，为物理模型注入代表各种状态，静态，动态和语义科学现象的功能。 一个双支架战略将同时支持科学和计算学习在正式的教室。 首先，学习将通过学生的计算物理模型（CMP）的构建来支撑，以支持对正式科学主题的理解，并发展基于模型的思维。 其次，该计划将支持计算的学习进展，以构建面向实践的CMP，并添加新概念以完成每组连续模型。 科学模型的表征性质将使抽象概念具体化，对每个概念使用多个模型将使学生在理解不同表征的概念时具有更大的灵活性。该项目将在两所公立中学纵向开展，为期两年，这些学校主要为入学人数不足的人口提供服务。教师将使用多种科学模型以及突出模型代表性的语言和教学法获得专业发展。为了支持计算内容的教学，该项目将建立一个由大学STEM学生组成的导师团，与课堂上的教师合作。 计算建模活动将被整合到常规科学课程中，使学生建立的模型与现有课程相匹配。项目研究将研究该计划对以下方面的影响：1）通过建模学习科学概念，2）学习计算结构并将计算发展为一种思维习惯，以及3）科学和计算身份的发展。将从每所学校的治疗和对照教室收集一系列数据源，包括知识评估和调查、半结构化访谈以及对学生模型构建的录像观察。 将进行定性和定量分析，以解决研究问题，并确定各组之间的差异。 研究结果将广泛传播给研究和从业者的观众，教学材料和资源将免费访问。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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). In this STEM+C project students will build science models to learn both science and computing in grades 5 and 6. Students will engage with computation to imbue physical models with functionality that represent various state, static, dynamic, and semantic scientific phenomena. A double-scaffolding strategy will be employed to simultaneously support scientific and computing learning in formal classrooms. First, learning will be scaffolded through students' construction of computational physical models (CMPs) to support understanding of formal science topics and develop model-based thinking. Second, the program will support a learning progression in computing to build the CMPs that is practice-oriented, with new concepts added to complete each set of successive models. The representational nature of science models will make abstract concepts concrete, and the use of multiple models for each concept will give students greater flexibility in understanding the concept in different representations. The project will be carried out longitudinally over two years in two public intermediate schools that serve predominantly underrepresented populations. Teachers will receive professional development using multiple science models and language and pedagogy that highlight the representational power of models. To support teaching computational content, the project will develop a Mentor Corps of college STEM students to work in collaboration with teachers in the classroom. Computational modeling activities will be integrated into the regular science classes, matching the models that the students build with the existing curriculum. The project research will examine the impact of the program on 1) learning science concepts through modeling, 2) learning computational constructs and developing computation as a habit of mind, and 3) the development of both science and computation identities. An array of data sources will be gathered from both treatment and control classrooms in each school, including knowledge assessments and surveys, semi-structured interviews, and video-taped observations of students' model construction. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses will be conducted to address the research questions and identify differences between groups. Findings will be broadly disseminated to research and practitioner audiences, and instructional materials and resources will be freely accessible.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.