Collaborative Research: Analogy Training to Promote Science Learning

这个项目的目标是开发和测试训练强大思维能力的方法。具体而言，本研究将探讨提高学生类比推理能力的技巧。科学史表明，类比是科学发现的有力工具。实验室和课堂研究的大量证据表明，类比比较可以提高学生的学习能力，特别是在数学和科学方面。例如，读到声波类似于水波可以让学生深入了解声音的行为。然而，并不是所有的学生都能从类比教学中受益。这项研究的第一个目标是发现如何最好地让学生掌握各种类比比较的有效方法——简而言之，成为更好的思考者和学习者。第二个目标是测试获得这些技能是否会提高学生在一个新的科学领域的学习能力：进化。总的来说，这个项目将为类比推理和学习作为一种基本能力以及如何训练它提供新的见解。该项目将针对类比思维的三个交叉方面为本科生制定类比训练计划：(1)处理类比映射的策略，包括对齐两个例子，从一个例子推导到另一个例子，并指出关键差异；(2)对类比思维的性质和用途的元认知洞察；(3)识别比较机会的能力。在第一阶段，将结合迭代设计和实验方法来开发和测试培训组件。在第二阶段，将测试一个完整的训练计划，以提高类比推理和支持科学内容学习（特别是关于进化论）。接受类比训练的一组将与对照组比较他们在进化和其他主题中从类比比较中学习的能力，采用前后设计。他们将在短期（指导后立即）和长期（6-7周后）学习中进行评估。一项试点研究将探索在课堂环境中适应八年级学生的类比训练计划。该项目由EHR核心研究（ECR）计划资助，该计划支持STEM学习和学习环境的基础研究，扩大STEM参与和STEM劳动力发展。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。

The goal of this project is to develop and test methods for training powerful thinking skills. Specifically, the research will explore techniques for improving students' analogical reasoning ability. The history of science has shown analogy to be a powerful tool in scientific discovery. And there is abundant evidence from laboratory and classroom studies that analogical comparison can improve students' ability to learn, especially in mathematics and science. For example, reading that sound waves are analogous to water waves can give students insight into how sound behaves. Yet not all students benefit equally from analogical teaching. The first goal of the research is to discover how best to equip students with methods for engaging productively with analogical comparisons of all sorts—in short, to become better thinkers and learners. The second goal is to test whether acquiring these skills will improve students' ability to learn in a new scientific arena: evolution. Overall, this project will provide new insights into analogical reasoning and learning as a fundamental ability and into how it can be trained.The project will develop an analogical training program for undergraduate students targeting three intersecting facets of analogical thinking: (1) strategies for processing analogical mappings, including aligning two examples, drawing inferences from one example to another, and noting key differences; (2) metacognitive insight into the nature and uses of analogical thinking; and (3) ability to recognize opportunities for comparison. In Phase 1, iterative design and experimental methods will be combined to develop and test training components. In Phase 2, a complete training program for improving analogical reasoning and supporting science content learning (specifically, about evolution) will be tested. A group that has received analogical training will be compared with a control group on their ability to learn from analogical comparisons in evolution and in other topics, using a pre-post design. They will be assessed in both short-term (immediately after instruction) and long-term (6-7 weeks later) learning. A pilot study will explore adapting the analogical training program for eighth graders in a classroom setting. This project is funded by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, which supports fundamental research on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development.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.