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Abstract: The study examines how Dynamic Equilibrium (DE) is represented in science national standards and textbooks for high-school biology, chemistry, and physics in the US and Israel. DE, a crucial concept in understanding dynamic systems, is inconsistently represented across educational materials and students encounter difficulties learning about DE. Analyzing 17 textbooks and national standards, the research combines quantitative and qualitative content analysis to assess the frequency and nature of presentation of DE-related phenomena. The study identifies 256 DE-related phenomena, comprising 14% of all phenomena that are studied in science. The primary systems approach used is System Dynamics, which focuses on stocks and rates of flow at one description level. The main representational format is verbal, and computational models are scarcely used. Differences across disciplines and between countries were found. These findings emphasize the need for powerful representations of DE to enhance students' understanding of dynamic systems and improve science education.
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Adapting modeling and simulation credibility standards to computational systems biology
Abstract Computational models are increasingly used in high-impact decision making in science, engineering, and medicine. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses computational models to perform complex experiments that are otherwise prohibitively expensive or require a microgravity environment. Similarly, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have began accepting models and simulations as forms of evidence for pharmaceutical and medical device approval. It is crucial that computational models meet a standard of credibility when using them in high-stakes decision making. For this reason, institutes including NASA, the FDA, and the EMA have developed standards to promote and assess the credibility of computational models and simulations. However, due to the breadth of models these institutes assess, these credibility standards are mostly qualitative and avoid making specific recommendations. On the other hand, modeling and simulation in systems biology is a narrower domain and several standards are already in place. As systems biology models increase in complexity and influence, the development of a credibility assessment system is crucial. Here we review existing standards in systems biology, credibility standards in other science, engineering, and medical fields, and propose the development of a credibility standard for systems biology models.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1933453
- PAR ID:
- 10435141
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer Science + Business Media
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Translational Medicine
- Volume:
- 21
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1479-5876
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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