Collaborative Research: Designing Computational Modeling Curricula across Science Subjects to Study How Repeated Engagement Impacts Student Learning throughout High School

随着计算机科学和数据科学越来越多地融入STEM职业和日常生活，计算思维正在成为学生需要了解的重要组成部分。计算思维是使用计算机科学的工具来解决和分析问题的过程。这个项目的重点是设计不同高中理科课程的学习体验，帮助学生获得计算思维的经验。该项目利用两所大学和学区之间的合作伙伴关系来开发和完善研究人员、教师和学校领导之间的合作。目标是帮助所有学生有机会在多种科学课程中学习计算思维。大学和学区之间的研究与实践伙伴关系将解决高中层面的两个实践问题。首先，学生将在科学课上参与计算建模，为所有学生提供学习计算思维的机会。其次，教师将有机会更多地了解下一代科学标准（NGSS），并开发支持该标准的课程。该项目将为四个科学科目创建单元，并调查这些单元的设计和实施。采用基于设计的实施研究，项目有三个研究问题，重点是单元的设计以及学生和教师在此过程中学到什么。(1)通过一门课程中设计的单元参与计算建模实践（CMPs）如何以及在什么条件下导致以下方面的转变：学科核心思想和跨领域概念的学习、计算建模实践（CMPs）以及对科学和计算的态度？(2)在科学课程中反复接触cmp对学生学习的影响是如何以及在什么条件下？(3)教师如何看待专业发展在为他们使用课程做准备中的作用？(4)他们如何以及为什么调整课程以适应他们的课堂？(4)学生和教师使用这些单元需要什么样的设计支持？(5)如何设计一组计算建模单元，将多学科的三维NGSS学习与计算思维实践相结合？数据收集将包括课堂观察和视频、教师和学生的调查、学生学习的测量。该项目还将从StarLogo Nova平台收集日志数据，该平台被用作单元计算建模和模拟的工具。探索研究preK-12项目（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高preK-12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。 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。

Computational thinking is becoming an essential part of what students need to know as computer science and data science are more embedded in STEM careers and daily life. Computational thinking is the process of using tools from computer science to solve and analyze problems. The focus of this project is the design of learning experiences in different high school science courses to help students gain experience in computational thinking. The project uses a partnership between two universities and school district to develop and refine the units as a collaboration between researchers, teachers, and school leaders. The goal is to help all students have opportunities to learn about computational thinking in multiple science courses.The Research and Practice Partnership between the universities and the school district will address two problems of practice at the high school level. First, students will engage in computational modeling in science classes to provide all students opportunities to learn computational thinking. Second, teachers will have the opportunity to learn more about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and develop curriculum to support the standards. The project will create units for four science subjects and investigate the design and implementation of those units. Using design-based implementation research, the project has three research questions that focus on the design of the units and what students and teachers learn in the process.. (1) How and under what conditions does engaging in computational modeling practices (CMPs) through the designed units in one course lead to shifts in: learning of disciplinary core ideas and cross-cutting concepts, computational modeling practices (CMPs) , and attitudes towards science and computation? (2) How and under what conditions does repeated exposure to CMPs across science courses impact student learning? (3) How do teachers see the role of professional development in preparing them to use the curricula? (4) How and why do they adapt the curricula to fit their classrooms? (4) What kinds of design supports do students and teachers need to use these units? (5) How can we design a collection of computational modeling units that integrate 3-dimensional NGSS learning with computational thinking practices for multiple subjects? The data collection will include classroom observations and videos, surveys of teachers and students, measures of students’ learning, The project will also gather log data from the StarLogo Nova platform that is being used as a tool for computational modeling and simulation in the units. The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. 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.