CAREER: Biology Integrated with Mathematics to Optimize Development of Approaches to Learning Sensemaking

在研究和医学中，已经有一个转向更多地使用数学表达式来描述和测试涉及生物现象的预测。因此，学院和大学的教职员工在生物课程中增加了对定量推理的关注，以更好地为学生的工作做好准备。作为未来的科学家，学生将遇到复杂和新颖的问题，这将需要强大的定量推理的应用。因此，生物学中教学生一步一步用算法解决问题的传统方法将限制学生的学习和他们在科学研究环境中茁壮成长的能力。一个更好的方法是通过意义建构来吸引学生，这要求学生在数学表达式中的变量和运算与科学现象之间建立联系。这个项目将研究目前为本科生物学学生提供的意义建构机会，学生如何参与意义建构过程，以及什么样的教学方法支持学生学习生物学中数学表达式的意义建构。研究结果将用于设计生物学课程中数学意义建构的新材料，并举办研讨会，帮助其他大学教师开发自己的数学意义建构单元。该项目将促进本科生如何在生物学问题的背景下有效地参与数学表达式的意义建构。首先，使用课堂观察和教师访谈在多个机构的定性分析，项目组将描述目前在生物课程提供的意义建构的机会。其次，利用学生的问卷调查和定量的问题解决反应，研究者将开发一个学生在生物数学表达式的意义建构模型。使用结构方程模型，该模型将评估因素的影响，包括数学表达式的类型，学生人口统计和对数学的态度。该模型还将包括潜在的结果，包括定量问题解决的正确性和方法。通过结合学生和教师层面的研究结果，项目团队将（1）开发、实施和改进示例模块，旨在增强学生在生物学入门课程中对数学表达式的意义理解;（2）设计，实施和评估讲习班的影响，以支持大学教师在发展单位，以促进学生的生物学数学表达式的意义。职业发展（CAREER）计划是美国国家科学基金会（NSF）范围内的活动，支持有潜力在研究和教育中担任学术榜样的早期职业教师。该职业项目由NSF的改善本科生STEM教育（IUSE）计划支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

In both research and medicine, there has been a shift toward greater use of mathematical expressions to describe and test predictions involving biological phenomena. Thus, college and university faculty members have increased the focus on quantitative reasoning in biology courses to better prepare students for the workplace. As future scientists, students will encounter complex and novel problems that will require the application of robust quantitative reasoning. Therefore, traditional approaches in biology that teach students step-by-step procedures to solve problems algorithmically will limit students’ learning and their ability to thrive in scientific research settings. A better approach is to engage students through sensemaking that requires students to make connections between the variables and operations in mathematical expressions and the scientific phenomena. This project will study what sensemaking opportunities are currently provided to undergraduate biology students, how students engage in sensemaking processes, and what teaching methods support student learning of sensemaking of mathematical expressions in biology. The results of the studies will then be used to design new materials to teach mathematical sensemaking in biology courses, and to conduct workshops to help other college instructors develop their own mathematical sensemaking units.This project will advance knowledge of how undergraduate students can be supported to productively engage in sensemaking of mathematical expressions in the context of biological problems. First, using qualitative analyses of classroom observations and faculty interviews across multiple institutions, the project team will describe the sensemaking opportunities currently provided in biology courses. Second, using students’ survey and quantitative problem-solving responses, the researchers will develop a model of students’ sensemaking of mathematical expressions in biology. Using structural equation modeling, this model will assess the impact of factors including the type of mathematical expression, student demographics and attitudes about mathematics. The model will also include potential outcomes including correctness of and approaches to quantitative problem solving. By combining the student and instructor level findings, the project team will then (1) develop, implement, and refine exemplar modules designed to enhance students’ sensemaking of mathematical expressions in introductory biology courses; and (2) design, implement and evaluate the impact of workshops to support college instructors in developing units to facilitate students’ sensemaking of mathematical expressions in biology.The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-wide activity that supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. This CAREER project is supported by NSF's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program.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.