skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Modeling in Science Education: A Synthesis of Recent Discovery Research PreK-12 Projects
The report summarizes the results from recent research and development projects that focused on modeling and simulations in science education. The Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program of the National Science Foundation funded these projects as part of its mission to support the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in grades PreK12 through innovative educational approaches.1 This report synthesizes findings from 33 articles produced by 18 DRK-12 grants awarded from 2011 to 2015, all of which funded development of resources or instructional practices to support student modeling in PreK-12 science education. This synthesis had two broad purposes: to describe 18 modeling-focused DRK-12 projects with respect to the resources they studied and the methods they used, and to summarize the new knowledge these projects produced related to modeling instruction. Link to PDF: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Modeling-in-Scientific-Education-Synthesis-April-2022.pdf  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1813777
PAR ID:
10358422
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
American Institutes for Research
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Early science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education sets the stage for future STEM learning. The purpose of this synthesis is to understand the findings from investments to improve prekindergarten (preK) and elementary science teaching from projects funded by the National Science Foundation’s Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program. In the 5 years spanning 2011–15, the DRK-12 program funded or cofunded 25 projects, totaling more than $60 million, related to improving preK and elementary science teaching. Our review identified 25 DRK-12 projects related to improving preK and elementary science teaching funded in 2011–15. We synthesized findings from 25 of those projects that produced products (e.g., peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers) that described the project and outcomes. We synthesized the empirical findings from interventions in four common areas of investment: (a) preservice preK and elementary preparation programs, (b) in-service teacher professional development (PD), (c) instructional materials for preK and elementary teachers, and (d) strategies for diverse learners. Link to PDF: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/Improving-Prek-and-Elementary-Science-Teaching--DRK-12-STEM-August-2022.pdf 
    more » « less
  2. Argumentation is a core disciplinary practice in mathematics and science that is important for both content understanding and everyday reasoning. In this report, we investigate how the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) recent research investments have advanced understanding and supported the development of interventions that improve the teaching and learning of argumentation in mathematics and science education. In the 5 years spanning 2011 to 2015, NSF’s Discovery Research PreK–12 (DRK-12) program funded or cofunded 23 projects relating to argumentation, with more than $40 million awarded. These 23 DRK-12 projects primarily focused on argumentation in high school and middle school and applied correlational/observational and longitudinal methods (rather than quasiexperimental or experimental methods), often reporting on the design and implementation of technological supports for the teaching and learning of argumentation. Our synthesis of empirical findings focused on how these projects studied both teacher- and student-facing interventions that improved the teaching and learning of argumentation, as well as naturalistic observations of argumentation in classroom settings that helped inform the design and development of future argumentation interventions. Link to PDF: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Mathematical-and-Scientific-Argumentation-in-PreK-12-April-2022.pdf 
    more » « less
  3. Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a complex, multifaceted construct that is widely seen as foundational to the act of teaching. In this synthesis, we investigated how the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) recent research investments have advanced understanding and supported the development of teachers’ PCK in PK–12 mathematics and science education. In the 5 years from 2011 to 2015, NSF’s Discovery Research PK–12 program (DRK-12) funded or cofunded 27 projects relating to PCK, totaling $62 million awarded. These 27 DRK-12 projects primarily applied correlational/observational and longitudinal methods (rather than quasi-experimental or experimental methods), often targeting teaching in the middle school grades. Our synthesis of empirical findings focused on how these projects studied PCK, including its measurement, development, and relationship to teaching and student learning. Link to PDF: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Teachers-Pedagogical-Content-Knowledge-in-Math-and-Science-April-2022.pdf 
    more » « less
  4. Despite the interest in equity, little research has considered students with disabilities in PreK-12 computer science education. The 2022 Computer Science Teachers Association and Kapor Center facilitated Landscape Survey of PreK-12 CS Teachers, which had over 2200 responses, gives us new insight. There were few significant differences between the experiences and perceptions of teachers with disabilities and those without. Accessibility was the least taught computing concept. Furthermore, teachers reported on a variety of barriers that students with disabilities encounter related to structural barriers, students choosing note to take CS, and teachers' perceptions of student ability. The findings point to the need for interventions related to resources, outreach, and policy. 
    more » « less
  5. MacDonald, James H; Clary, Renee M; Archer, Reginald; Broadway, Ruby (Ed.)
    Participation in authentic scientific research has been shown to greatly benefit undergraduate students, both in terms of perception of science and knowledge of scientific concepts. We define authentic scientific research as projects in which results are unknown prior to performing experiments and are appropriate for presentation in peer-reviewed scientific journals and/or scientific conferences. Kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) students have less frequent opportunities to participate in authentic research than university students, and the effects of research participation on such students are less well understood. From 2013 to the present, we organized two collaborations with different groups of K–12 students and teachers, each aimed at engaging K–12 students in authentic geoscience research, with a focus on K–12 students from excluded backgrounds who may have had restricted access to resources. First, the Malcolm X Shabazz Aquatic Geochemistry Team was an initiative to involve high school students at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, New Jersey, USA, in research focused on the activities of microbial communities inhabiting streams and rivers in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Second, the Integrating Continuous Experiential Activities for Geoscience Education (ICE-AGE) project is a Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (GEOPAths) project funded by the National Science Foundation that involves K–12 students in experiential learning through diverse means, including involving middle school students taking part in a summer program pseudonymously referred to as the Liberation Literacy Program (LLP) in geoscience research on a number of topics. Here, we report qualitative observations of the successes and challenges of these programs, as well as lessons learned, which may be useful for other researchers seeking to involve groups of K–12 students in authentic geoscience research education. 
    more » « less