DRK12-Biograph: Graphical Programming for Constructing Complex Systems Understanding in Biology

该提案概述了一个研究和发展项目，该项目研究如何通过创新的课程资源、技术应用和全面的研究和发展结构支持复杂的系统概念，通过提供跨越时间和空间尺度的统一主题，帮助学生在生物学领域学习。该项目旨在解决STEM教育的四个关键需求领域：生物科学、复杂系统、计算建模和所有人的平等机会。本提案探讨了如何通过课程和技术干预，通过复杂系统和计算建模的框架来构建生物学学习，从而满足这些需求。主要合作伙伴是麻省理工学院（Massachusetts Institute of Technology）和宾夕法尼亚大学（University of Pennsylvania），与波士顿地区四所学校的八名教师合作。该项目将图形编程和仿真软件StarLogo TNG整合到标准高中生物课程中，通过对核心复杂系统过程的介绍和理解来提高生物概念的学习。不同于在离散的块中学习生物学，所选择的生物学主题通过复杂系统的框架连接起来，并依次构建从生命的基本构建块到生命形式的相互依赖和可持续性的复杂性。这种方法旨在帮助学生理解一个层次上的过程是如何与另一个层次上的过程联系起来的。本研究旨在回答以下问题：1。基于规模和涌现的复杂系统思想的学习进展是否使学生能够在生物学主题之间建立联系，纠正已知的误解，并比传统的教学顺序更好地应用核心复杂系统原则？2. 考虑到结构、功能和行为变量，实施的持续支持和限制是什么？项目活动的哪些变化产生了增加的实施和学习能力？3. 与使用先前构建的模拟相比，模拟编程是否增加了对复杂系统和生物学概念的理解？评估的目的是收集数据，并提供对计划的遵守、实施的挑战以及研究如何通知开发的反馈。项目预计在项目结束时或之后会有一些可交付成果。这些措施包括创建统一的高中生物课程序列，增加空间和时间尺度，以加深学生对四个核心生物主题的理解；课程活动的制作、实施和测试，这些活动承认并改善了已知的实施挑战；以及课程策略和工具的开发，以帮助教师和学生提高在计算建模、计算机编程和参与网络基础设施方面的知识和技能。为了使模拟活动更容易融入学校，并提高可扩展性，StarLogo TNG的一个新的网络版本为模拟活动提供了便利，该版本整合了所有课程材料，所有这些材料都将免费分发。其他传播策略包括网站、会议、通讯、社区活动、积极传播和学术报告。

This proposal outlines a research and development project that investigates how complex systems concepts supported by innovative curricular resources, technology applications and a comprehensive research and development structure can assist student learning in the domain of biology by providing a unifying theme across scales of time and space. The project seeks to address four areas of critical need in STEM education: biological sciences, complex systems, computational modeling, and equal access for all. This proposal explores how these needs are addressed through a curricular and technological intervention that structures biology learning through the framework of complex systems and computational modeling. The primary partners are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania, working with eight teachers in four schools in the Boston area. The project integrates graphical programming and simulation software, StarLogo TNG, into the standard high school biology curriculum to improve learning of biology concepts through the introduction and understanding of core complex systems processes. Instead of learning biology in discrete chunks, the chosen biological topics are connected through the framework of complex systems, and successively build in complexity from the basic building blocks of life to the interdependence and sustainability of life forms. This approach is designed to help students understand how processes at one level are connected to those at another level. The research is designed to answer the following questions: 1. Does a learning progression based on the complex systems ideas of scale and emergence enable students to make connections across biological topics, remediate known misconceptions, and apply core complex systems principles better than traditional instructional sequences? 2. What are the on-going affordances and constraints of implementation taking into consideration structural, functional and behavioral variables and what changes to project activities yield increased implementation and learning capacities? 3. Does programming of simulations increase understanding of complex systems and biology concepts compared to use of previously constructed simulations? The evaluation is designed to collect data and provide feedback on the adherence to the plan, the implementation challenged, and how research informs development. The project anticipates a number of deliverables towards the end of the project and beyond. These include the creation of a unified high school biology curricular sequence that builds in increasing spatial and temporal scales to deepen student understanding of four core biology topics; the production, implementation and testing of curricular activities that acknowledge and ameliorate known implementation challenges; and the development of curricular strategies and tools to help teachers and students improve knowledge and skills in computational modeling, computer programming and participation in the cyberinfrastructure. In order to increase ease of integration into schools, and enhance scalability, the simulation activities are facilitated by a new web-based version of StarLogo TNG that integrates the curricular materials all of which will be distributed freely. Additional dissemination strategies include a website, conferences, a newsletter, community activities, active dissemination, and academic presentations.