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1. Students’ Epistemic Connections Between Science Inquiry Practices and Disciplinary Ideas in a Computational Science Unit

   Dabholkar, Sugat; Irgens, Golnaz Arastoopour; Horn, Michael; Wilensky, Uri (June 2020, International Conference of the Learning Sciences)

   Teaching science inquiry practices, especially the more contemporary ones, such as computational thinking practices, requires designing newer learning environments and appropriate pedagogical scaffolds. Using such learning environments, when students construct knowledge about disciplinary ideas using inquiry practices, it is important that they make connections between the two. We call such connections epistemic connections, which are about constructing knowledge using science inquiry practices. In this paper, we discuss the design of a computational thinking integrated biology unit as an Emergent Systems Microworlds (ESM) based curriculum. Using Epistemic Network Analysis, we investigate how the design of unit support students’ learning through making epistemic connections. We also analyze the teacher’s pedagogical moves to scaffold making such connections. This work implies that to support students’ epistemic connections between science inquiry practices and disciplinary ideas, it is critical to design restructured learning environments like ESMs, aligned curricular activities and provide appropriate pedagogical scaffolds. 

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2. High School Science Education in a “Post-truth” Society: Confronting Confirmation Bias with Students and Teachers

   Cottone, Amanda M; Yoon, Susan A; Chinn, Clark A; Noushad, Noora F; Hussain-Abidi, Huma (June 2022, International Society of the Learning Sciences)

   Incorporating the goals of a comprehensive epistemic education into K12 curricula is increasingly critical. In this study, we worked with high school biology students and teachers to evaluate how to enact strategies to counter confirmation bias while engaging in scientific modeling. We used a video-cued method in interviews with participants and then applied the AIR model to analyze responses. Findings show that most could identify biased epistemic processes. Additionally, teachers listened to some of their students’ evaluations and were surprised by what they heard. This suggests noticing students’ epistemic cognition in the classroom is difficult and engaging students in video-cued discussions about reliable scientific practices around a familiar activity may allow for learners’ thinking to become more visible. 

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3. Discourse Moves and Engineering Epistemic Practices in a Virtual Laboratory

   Gavitte, Samuel B; Koretsky, Milo D; Nason, Jeffrey A (June 2024, ASEE annual conference exposition)

   We use qualitative methods to investigate students’ engagement in an upper-division laboratory. Laboratory activities are recognized as key curricular elements in engineering education. These activities have traditionally been delivered in person, but new laboratory modalities (such as virtual laboratories) have been gaining popularity, boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how laboratory modality influences student learning is important to be able to design and implement effective laboratories. While some educators have investigated if virtual laboratories can replace their analogous physical laboratory counterparts, others have looked at using virtual laboratories in combination with physical laboratories. Taking this latter approach, they argue the two modes have different affordances and therefore could be complementary - meaning that each mode may lend itself to more effectively engaging students in certain productive practices. We have previously reported on the development of two environmental engineering laboratories, one physical and one virtual. Both laboratories address the topic of jar testing, an important process in drinking water treatment, with the design of each mode being based on that mode's affordances. These laboratories were implemented in an upper-level chemical engineering course. Twelve students split into four groups consented to be audio and video recorded during their time in the laboratory and have the work they turn in collected, with most also volunteering to be interviewed about their experiences. A first pass of this data has been completed in which we viewed learning from the lens of participation in disciplinary practice. We applied the theory of engineering epistemic practices, which are the socially organized and interactionally accomplished ways engineers develop, justify, and communicate ideas when completing engineering work. Transcripts of the laboratory observations were coded to identify students’ engagement with specific epistemic practices, which were categorized as either conceptual, material, or social. These codes were then counted and cross-validated with interview responses to draw conclusions about how student's engagement differed in each mode. This prior research has indicated that students engage with each design using different epistemic practices. While the first pass analysis showed differences in counts of epistemic practices between modes, it provided limited insight into how and why the epistemic practices are elicited and coordinated among students. In this paper, we extend the discourse analysis by illustrating our developing methodology for a second pass analysis of the video recordings. We seek to develop a thick description by identifying how particular epistemic practices fit together temporally and serve to promote or hinder students’ progress. Engagement in epistemic practices does not happen in a vacuum and instead happens contextually, influenced by students' previous engagement and the laboratory environment and their social and academic history. This analysis allows a deeper understanding of how students engage in engineering practice while completing laboratories, knowledge that can be applied to enhance engineering physical and virtual laboratory instruction and design. Additionally, this work contributes to the methodological conversation of ways to use interaction analyses to extract understanding from a rich set of qualitative data. 

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4. ‘Scientists don’t know the truth; they tell you what they know to be true!’: Shaping High School Students Understanding of How Scientists Establish Trustworthy Claims Using Epistemic Practices

   Noushad, Noora F; Yoon, Susan A; Chinn, Clark A; Yang, Zhitong; Hussain-Abidi, Huma; Hunkar, Kyle (June 2024, International Society of the Learning Sciences)

   Science skepticism challenges the trustworthiness of scientific knowledge. Researchers suggest that school science curricula should emphasize the epistemic practices realworld scientists use to generate claims, such as actively seeking contradictory evidence for explanatory models and comparing findings with peers. However, empirical evidence supporting the use of epistemic practices, and its potential impact on students’ trustworthiness of science remains limited. This study examines four ninth-grade biology students who designed experiments to understand a fictional viral outbreak using agent-based simulation data. They iteratively refined their designs and discussed with peers. Analysis of student worksheets and discussions reveals that students used three epistemic practices: considering multiple explanations, systematically evaluating evidence, and comparing findings with similar experiments. However, they struggled to revise their initial models when presented with conflicting evidence by their peers. These findings offer insights into how students engage with epistemic practices and their perceptions of science's trustworthiness. 

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5. Characterizing Advantages and Challenges for Students Engaging in Computational Thinking and Systems Thinking Through Model Construction

   https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2020.183  

   Eidin, E.; Bielik, T.; Touitou, I.; Bowers, J.; McIntyre, C.; Damelin, D. (June 2020, The Interdisciplinarity of the Learning Sciences, 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2020)

   Gresalfi, M.; Horn, I. S. (Ed.)

   As human society advances, new scientific challenges are constantly emerging. The use of systems thinking (ST) and computational thinking (CT) can help elucidate these problems and bring us closer to a possible solution. The construction and use of models is one of the most widely used tools when trying to understand systems. In this paper, we examine four case studies of student pairs who were engaged in building and using system models in an NGSS-aligned project-based learning unit on chemical kinetics. Using a theoretical framework that describes how CT and ST practices are manifested in the modeling process we examine the progression of students’ models during their model revisions and explore strategies they employ to overcome modeling challenges they face. We discuss some suggestions to scaffold students’ progression in constructing computational system models and prepare teachers to support their students in engaging in CT and ST practices. 

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