Exploring middle school science students' computer -based modeling practices and their changes over time.

Modeling has been promoted by major policy organizations as important for science learning. The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and explore middle school science students' computer-based modeling practices and their changes over time using a scaffolded modeling program. Following a design-based research approach, this study was conducted at an independent school. Seventh graders from three classes taught by two experienced teachers participated. Two pairs of target students were chosen from each class for observation. Students created computer-based models after their investigations in a water quality unit and a decomposition unit. The initial modeling cycle for water quality lasted for four days in the fall season, the second cycle for water quality lasted three days in the winter season, and the third cycle for decomposition lasted two days in the spring season. The major data source is video that captured student pairs' computer screen activities and their conversations. Supplementary data include classroom videos of those modeling cycles, replicated students' final models, and models in production. The data were analyzed in terms of the efficiency, meaningfulness, and purposefulness of students' modeling practices. Students' understanding of content, models and modeling, metacognition, and collaboration and their changes were analyzed as secondary learning outcomes. This dissertation shows that with appropriate scaffolding from the modeling program and the teachers, students performed a variety of modeling practices that are valued by science educators, such as planning, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, and publicizing. In general, student modeling practices became more efficient, meaningful, and purposeful over time. During their modeling practices, students also made use of and improved content knowledge, understanding of models and modeling, metacognition, and collaboration. Suggestions for improving the modeling program and the learning environment are also provided. For example, to be able to maintain focus, students need to articulate what they are going to build in a model.PhDCurriculum developmentEducationScience educationSecondary educationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/123989/2/3106196.pd