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

在研究和医学领域，越来越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，学院和大学的教师们在生物学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，学生们将会遇到复杂而新颖的问题，这些问题需要运用强大的定量推理。因此，传统的生物学方法是教学生一步一步地用算法解决问题，这将限制学生的学习和他们在科研环境中茁壮成长的能力。一个更好的方法是通过语义建构来吸引学生，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。本项目将研究目前为生物学本科学生提供了哪些语义构建机会，学生如何参与语义构建过程，以及哪些教学方法支持学生学习生物学数学表达式的语义构建。这些研究的结果将被用于设计新的材料来教授生物学课程中的数学语义，并举办研讨会来帮助其他大学教师开发他们自己的数学语义单元。这个项目将推进如何支持本科生在生物学问题的背景下有效地参与数学表达式的意义表达的知识。首先，通过对多个机构的课堂观察和教师访谈进行定性分析，项目团队将描述目前在生物学课程中提供的意义构建机会。其次，利用学生的问卷调查和定量解决问题的反应，研究人员将开发一个学生对生物学数学表达式的意义的模型。利用结构方程模型，该模型将评估数学表达类型、学生人口统计和数学态度等因素的影响。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水平的发现，项目团队将(1)开发、实施和完善范例模块，旨在提高学生在生物学入门课程中对数学表达式的理解；(2)设计、实施和评估研讨会的影响，以支持大学教师开发单元，以促进学生对生物学数学表达式的理解。教师早期职业发展（Career）计划是美国国家科学基金会（NSF）范围内的一项活动，旨在支持有潜力在研究和教育中成为学术榜样的早期职业教师。本项目由美国国家科学基金会改善本科STEM教育（IUSE）项目资助。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。

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.