Collaborative Research: Researching How You Teach Holistic Modeling

模型是工程系统分析和设计的关键部分。多种类型模型（物理的、数学的、计算的和财务的）的目的是提供一种简化的现实表示，它模仿工程系统的特征，并预测系统的行为。该项目由安柏瑞德航空大学、圣何塞州立大学和路易斯维尔大学合作，旨在提高工科学生的建模能力。该项目计划通过将第一年的工程课程转变为将建模作为一种工程工具来教授，从而实现这一目标。该项目将改变这三所大学现有的课程材料、教学方法和评估方法。每个机构将实施自己的具体策略来教授数学、物理、计算和金融建模，从而提供三种不同的方法。通过比较不同院校和方法的学生建模能力，该项目旨在确定在本科工程入门课程中教授多种建模的最有效方法。该项目以“整体建模视角”理论框架为指导，该框架建立在成功的“模型与建模视角”和“计算自适应专业知识”框架之上。该项目的目标是：(1)实施、测试和完善整体建模环境，以适应可灵活更改课程的院校和对更改课程有不同程度兴趣的教师；(2)实施、测试和完善评估学生建模能力的方法；(3)对三所不同院校学生的建模能力进行评价并给出结果。所有修改后的课程将采用统一的语言和围绕建模的讨论。每所大学将开发并实施一套评估学生建模能力的工具。这项工作建立在开发更容易适应和采用的建模教学法和建模语言的现有研究的基础上。以下宽泛的研究问题指导了研究：学生的定义知识、应用能力和创建模型的能力如何随着课堂上不同程度的建模整合而变化？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。

Models are a critical part of the analysis and design of engineered systems. The purpose of multiple types of models (physical, mathematical, computational, and financial) is to provide a simplified representation of reality that mimics the features of the engineered system, and that predicts the behavior of the system. This project, a collaboration between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, San Jose State University, and the University of Louisville, aims to improve engineering students' modeling competence. The project plans to achieve this goal by transforming first-year engineering courses to teach modeling as an engineering tool. The project will change existing course materials, pedagogy, and assessment methods across the three institutions. Each institution will implement its own specific strategy to teach mathematical, physical, computational, and financial modeling, thus providing three different approaches. By comparing student's modeling abilities across the institutions and approaches, the project aims to identify the most impactful approaches for teaching multiple modeling in introductory undergraduate engineering courses.The project is guided by a "holistic modeling perspective" theoretical framework, that builds on the successful "Models and Modeling Perspective" and "Computational Adaptive Expertise" frameworks. The objectives of the project are to: (1) implement, test, and refine holistic modeling environments for institutions that have flexibility in changing curriculum and for instructors that have different degrees of interest in changing their course(s); (2) implement, test, and refine methods to assess students' modeling abilities; and (3) evaluate and present the results of modeling abilities attained by students at three different universities. A unified language and discussion around modeling will be adopted in all revised courses. An assessment tool to measure students' modeling competence will be developed and implemented at each university. This work builds upon existing research in the development of more easily adaptable and adoptable modeling pedagogies and modeling languages. The following broad research question guides the research: How do students' definitional knowledge, ability to apply, and ability to create models change based on different degrees of modeling integration in the classroom?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.