Sensing Science through Modeling: Developing Kindergarten Students' Understanding of Matter and Its Changes

通过建模感知科学：培养幼儿园学生对物质及其变化的理解

• 批准号: 1621299
• 负责人: Carolyn Staudt
• 金额: $ 264.14万
• 依托单位: Concord Consortium
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-10-01 至 2022-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1621299&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Sensing; Science; through; Modeling; Developing

Despite recent research demonstrating the capacity of young children to engage deeply with science concepts and practices, challenging science curriculum is often lacking in the early grades. This project addresses this gap by developing a technology-supported, physical science curriculum that will facilitate kindergarten students' conceptual understanding of matter and how matter changes. To accomplish these goals, the curriculum will include opportunities for students to participate in model-based inquiry in conjunction with the use of digital probeware and simulations that enable students to observe dynamic visualizations and make sense of the phenomena. To support the capacity of kindergarten teachers, a continuous model of teacher development will be implemented. Throughout development, the project team will collaborate with kindergarten teachers and more than 300 demographically diverse students across eight classrooms in Massachusetts and Indiana. A design based research approach will be used to iteratively design and revise learning activities, technological tools, and assessments that meet the needs and abilities of kindergarten students and teachers. The project team will: 1) work with kindergarten teachers to modify an existing Grade 2 curricular unit for use with their students; 2) design a parallel curricular unit incorporating technology; 3) evaluate both units for feasibility and maturation effects; and 4) iteratively revise and pilot an integrated unit and assess kindergarten student conceptual understanding of matter and its changes. The results of this investigation will contribute important data on the evolving structure and content of children's physical science models as well as demonstrate children's understanding of matter and its changes. The Discovery Research K-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 (RMTs). 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.

尽管最近的研究表明，幼儿与科学概念和实践深入互动的能力，但挑战性的科学课程通常在早期中缺乏。该项目通过开发技术支持的物理科学课程来解决这一差距，该课程将促进幼儿园学生对物质和物质的概念理解。为了实现这些目标，课程将包括学生与使用数字探针和模拟的使用，使学生能够观察动态可视化并理解现象，从而有机会参加基于模型的询问。为了支持幼儿园教师的能力，将实施一种持续的教师发展模式。在整个开发过程中，项目团队将与幼儿园的老师以及马萨诸塞州和印第安纳州八个教室中的300多名人口统计学的学生合作。基于设计的研究方法将用于迭代设计和修改学习活动，技术工具以及满足幼儿园学生和老师的需求和能力的评估。项目团队将：1）与幼儿园老师合作，​​修改现有的2年级课程单元供学生使用； 2）设计合并技术的平行课程单元； 3）评估两个单元的可行性和成熟效应； 4）迭代修订和试行一个综合单元，并评估幼儿园学生对物质及其变化的概念理解。这项调查的结果将贡献有关儿童物理科学模型不断发展的结构和内容的重要数据，并证明了儿童对物质及其变化的理解。 Discovery Research K-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具的研究和开发，以显着增强PreK-12学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学（RMTS）。 DRK-12计划中的项目基于STEM教育和先前的研发工作的基础研究，这些研究为拟议项目提供了理论和经验的理由。