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，学院和大学的教职员工在生物学课程中增加了对定量推理的关注，以更好地帮助学生为工作做好准备。作为未来的科学家，学生们将遇到复杂而新颖的问题，这将需要应用健壮的定量推理。因此，生物学中传授学生用算法一步一步解决问题的传统方法将限制学生的学习和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感官创造让学生参与进来，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生物学本科生提供的感觉制造机会，学生如何参与感觉制造过程，以及什么教学方法支持学生学习生物中的数学公式的感觉制造。这项研究的结果将被用来设计新的教材来教授生物课程中的数学感知，并举办研讨会来帮助其他大学教师发展他们自己的数学感知单元。这个项目将促进关于如何支持本科生在生物问题的背景下有效地从事数学表达式的感知的知识。首先，利用对多个机构的课堂观察和教师访谈的定性分析，该项目团队将描述目前在生物课程中提供的轰动一时的机会。其次，利用学生的调查和定量的问题解决反应，研究人员将开发一个学生在生物中感知数学表达式的模型。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，包括量化问题解决的正确性和方法。通过将学生和教师层面的调查结果结合起来，项目团队将(1)开发、实施和改进范例模块，旨在提高学生在生物学入门课程中对数学表达式的感觉；以及(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，促进学生对生物学中的数学表达式的感觉。教师早期职业发展计划是国家科学基金会(NSF)范围内的一项活动，支持有潜力在研究和教育中充当学术榜样的职业早期教师。该职业项目由NSF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优势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.