Abstract
We present a curriculum and instruction framework for computer-supported teaching and learning about complex systems in high school science classrooms. This work responds to a need in K-12 science education research and practice for the articulation of design features for classroom instruction that can address the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) recently launched in the USA. We outline the features of the framework, including curricular relevance, cognitively rich pedagogies, computational tools for teaching and learning, and the development of content expertise, and provide examples of how the framework is translated into practice. We follow this up with evidence from a preliminary study conducted with 10 teachers and 361 students, aimed at understanding the extent to which students learned from the activities. Results demonstrated gains in students’ complex systems understanding and biology content knowledge. In interviews, students identified influences of various aspects of the curriculum and instruction framework on their learning.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 38 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Systems |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 3 Dec 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgments: This research was funded by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation, #1019228.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Keywords
- Complex systems
- Computer-supported science curricula
- NGSS
- Student learning outcomes