Integrated Science through Foundational Big Ideas: Learning Modules for Pre-service Elementary Teachers

跨学科(99)这个项目正在追踪未来的教师对基础大思想(那些跨越所有科学学科的想法)的理解，因为教师在K-8科学课程中的生活、地球和物理科学的特定主题的背景下从事科学现象和实践。根据对学生学习进度的分析，正在开发三个在线学习模块，用于一系列职前课程。基本的大思想是物质和能量守恒，以及能量在物质变化中的起因作用。这些单元集中在生命科学(光合作用)、地球科学(风化)和物理科学(燃烧)方面的特定主题，这些主题对于小学教师理解并提供在学科内部和跨学科应用大思想的机会是必不可少的。每个学习模块包括三个组成部分。入门知识部分包括与基础性大想法捆绑在一起的学科大想法以及常见误解的有序框架。第二个组成部分是一个评估系统，它允许在学生学习过程中的多个时间点引起误解和理解差距。第三部分由一套基于证据的教学策略组成，这些策略是从评估数据、误解和大想法中发展出来的。这些教学策略为教师提供了在学生学习过程中的特定时间点的一系列反应。学习模块的基础是跟踪450名职前小学教师的学习进度，并利用这些评估数据来制定循证教学策略和学习材料。持续评估被用来跟踪个人在理解广泛学科现象中的大思想方面的学习进展。临床访谈和焦点小组被用来提供对学生理解的更深层次的探索，以及促进学生个体理解的教学策略和学习材料。对学生理解的评估和分析的迭代过程正被用来为随后的教学战略的设计和实施提供信息。这种以设计为基础的方法最终将导致开发供其他机构使用的学习单元。

Interdisciplinary (99)This project is tracing future teachers understanding of foundational big ideas (those that span all science disciplines) as the teachers engage in the phenomena and practice of science within the context of specific topics in life, earth, and physical science in the K-8 science curriculum. Based on the analysis of students learning progressions, three on-line learning modules are being developed for use in a range of pre-service courses. The foundational big ideas are conservation of matter and energy and the causative role of energy in changing matter. The modules focus on specific topics in life science (photosynthesis), earth science (weathering), and physical science (combustion) that are essential to an elementary teachers understanding and provide an opportunity to apply the big ideas within and across disciplines.Each learning module includes three components. An introductory knowledge component includes a sequenced framework of disciplinary big ideas tied to the foundational big ideas along with common misconceptions. The second component is a system of assessments that allows for eliciting misconceptions and gaps in understanding at multiple time points in students learning progressions. A third component consists of a set of evidence-based teaching strategies developed from assessment data, misconceptions, and big ideas. These teaching strategies provide faculty with a range of responses at specific points in students learning progressions. The learning modules are based on following the learning progressions of 450 pre-service elementary teachers and using that assessment data to develop evidence-based teaching strategies and learning materials. Continual assessment is being used to track individuals learning progressions toward understanding the big ideas in a broad range of disciplinary phenomena. Clinical interviews and focus groups are being used to provide a deeper exploration of student understanding and of the teaching strategies and learning materials that promote understanding in individual students. An iterative process of assessment and analysis of student understanding is being used to inform subsequent design and implementation of teaching strategies. This design-based approach ultimately will lead to the development of the learning modules for use by other institutions.