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Abstract Inquiry instruction often neglects graphing. It gives students few opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to take advantage of graphs, and which are called for by current science education standards. Yet, it is not well known how to support graphing skills, particularly within middle school science inquiry contexts. Using qualitative graphs is a promising, but underexplored approach. In contrast to quantitative graphs, which can lead students to focus too narrowly on the mechanics of plotting points, qualitative graphs can encourage students to relate graphical representations to their conceptual meaning. Guided by the Knowledge Integration framework, which recognizes and guides students in integrating their diverse ideas about science, we incorporated qualitative graphing activities into a seventh grade web‐based inquiry unit about cell division and cancer treatment. In Study 1, we characterized the kinds of graphs students generated in terms of their integration of graphical and scientific knowledge. We also found that students (n = 30) using the unit made significant learning gains based on their pretest to post‐test scores. In Study 2, we compared students' performance in two versions of the same unit: One that had students construct, and second that had them critique qualitative graphs. Results showed that both activities had distinct benefits, and improved students' (n = 117) integrated understanding of graphs and science. Specifically, critiquing graphs helped students improve their scientific explanations within the unit, while constructing graphs led students to link key science ideas within both their in‐unit and post‐unit explanations. We discuss the relative affordances and constraints of critique and construction activities, and observe students' common misunderstandings of graphs. In all, this study offers a critical exploration of how to design instruction that simultaneously supports students' science and graph understanding within complex inquiry contexts.
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The graph construction competency model for biology (GCCM-Bio): A framework for instruction and assessment of graph construction
Abstract Biologists represent data in visual forms, such as graphs, to aid data analysis and communication. However, students struggle to construct effective graphs. Although some studies explore these difficulties, we lack a comprehensive framework of the knowledge and skills needed to construct graphs in biology. In the present article, we describe the development of the Graph Construction Competency Model for Biology (GCCM-Bio), a framework of the components and activities associated with graph construction. We identified four broad knowledge areas for graph construction in biology: data selection, data exploration, graph assembly, and graph reflection. Under each area, we identified activities undertaken when constructing graphs of biological data and refined the GCCM-Bio through focus groups with experts in biology and statistics education. We also ran a scoping literature review to verify that these activities were represented in the graphing literature. The GCCM-Bio could support instructors, curriculum developers, and researchers when designing instruction and assessment of biology graph construction.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1726180
- PAR ID:
- 10610345
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- BioScience
- ISSN:
- 0006-3568
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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