Jamie Larson
*Working Lunch
To meet the disruptive challenges of a global, knowledge-based, innovation-centered economy, scholars must apply new collaborative technologies to diffuse and scale systemic educational solutions.
Concluding Remarks: Elizabeth Vanderputten, DR K-12 Program Officer, NSF
At a time when our country needs to transform its K–20 schooling system in order to meet the challenge of a global, knowledge-based, innovation-centered economy, scholars working together to diffuse and scale systemic solutions is vital for success. Stokes (1997) urged that research investments center in Pasteur’s Quadrant: deepening theory through gaining traction on pervasive real-world difficulties. However, current incentive structures and funding mechanisms for scholars undercut this goal.
This interactive poster session brings together 11 projects using digital computer technologies (games, simulations, tools) to discuss current research questions, corresponding methodologies, and next steps.
This interactive poster session brings together 11 projects using a range of digital computer technologies to improve science and math learning, including simulations, games, and other cyberlearning tools and environments. In addition to increasing communication and collaboration among these researchers, a key goal of this session is to discuss the diversity of research questions that each project (and the community as a whole) is engaged in, the research methodologies used, and the coupling between the research questions and the selected methodologies.
“Authentic experiences” are core to many projects. The session shows ways authenticity is used in engineering/technology with examples from projects.
The ubiquitous use of the term “authenticity” makes it difficult to not only operationalize the term for the development of learning environments, but also for empirical research into the effectiveness or role of different dimensions and different constructs of context and authenticity. Research on STEM education and underrepresented minorities and women may serve as an example for the significance and impact of authentic learning experiences and the need for more reflection: Data show that STEM fields are not as attractive to underrepresented minorities and girls.
How have technology-enhanced assessment projects studied their technical quality, effectiveness, and feasibility? Four mature assessment projects share designs, research methods, findings, and challenges.
This collaborative session brings together four mature projects that use different approaches to develop and validate technology-enhanced STEM assessments. Presenters share their designs, research findings, and implications for measuring STEM standards. All offer evidence addressing four questions: (1) What was the technical quality (reliability and validity) and effectiveness of the assessments for their intended purposes? (2) How feasible were the assessments to implement in classrooms? (3) How can the projects can be scaled up and sustained?
Presenters from six technology-rich projects explore how they are using new representations, activities, and practices to help learners become more fluent in expressing their thinking.
Given technology that enables teachers and learners to express mathematics and science in quite new ways—relative to textbooks and conventional classroom talk—what sorts of representations, activities, and practices provide the necessary structure to guide and develop what students can “say” and “do” so that they develop ways to express themselves more powerfully and meaningfully?
Presenters from six DR K–12 projects, each involved in mathematics or science teaching and learning, describe their approaches:
About this Playbook The Digital Textbook Playbook is a guide to help K-12 educators and administrators advance the conversation toward building a rich digital learning experience. This Playbook offers information about determining broadband infrastructure for schools and classrooms, leveraging home and community broadband to extend the digital learning environment, and understanding necessary device considerations. It also provides lessons learned from school districts that engaged in successful transitions to digital learning.
On February 10th, 2012, five Fellows presented on the work of their projects. Many thanks to the presenters and to the audience of Fellows who followed up each presentation with great questions and discussion.
Varma, K. & Linn, M. C. (2011). "Using Interactive Technology to Support Students’ Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming." Journal of Science Education and Technology. DOI: 10.1007/s10956-011-9337-9
ABSTRACT:
Varma, K. & Linn, M. C. (2011). "Using Interactive Technology to Support Students’ Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming." Journal of Science Education and Technology. DOI: 10.1007/s10956-011-9337-9
ABSTRACT:
