High

Assumptions about the superiority of hands-on use of computer simulations over projecting them in whole class have seldom been tested. Contrary to expectations, preliminary pre-post results from two lesson sequences yielded no evidence for an advantage for students in the hands-on condition. We conduct qualitative analyses of one of the lesson sequences, in which a popular simulation was used in eight high school physics class sections, half in whole class discussion and half in small groups.

Price, N., & Clement, J. J. (2014). Generating, evaluating, and modifying scientific models using projected computer simulations. Science Scope, 38(2), 39-46. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43184784

In this study, we analyzed the participation of teachers and students during their co-construction of explanatory models for concepts in circuit electricity in two high school physics classes. While students in both teachers’ classes experienced comparable levels of impressive pre to post-instructional test gain differences over controls, analysis of class discussions showed that considerable differences existed between the two groups in the ratios of student-to-teacher contributions to the development of explanatory models.

Students’ inaccurate ideas about what is represented by chemical equations and concepts underlying stoichiometry are well documented; however, there are few classroom-ready instructional solutions to help students build scientifically accurate ideas about these topics central to learning chemistry. An intervention (two inquiry-based activities) was developed, piloted, and evaluated with common misconceptions in mind.

This book focuses on the preparation of secondary science teachers to teach science to English Learners (EL) and is based on the SSTELLA (Secondary Science Education with English Language and Literacy Acquisition) project that has been implemented in four pre-service teacher education programs in Arizona, California and Texas, all states with large populations of EL.

Supporting Secondary Students in Building External Models is a collaborative project with Michigan State University and the Concord Consortium, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to examine how to support secondary school students in constructing and revising models to explain scientific phenomena and design solutions to problems. This article describes the project and research plans.

Damelin, D., & Krajcik, J. (2016). Supporting secondary students in building external models to explain phenomena. @Concord, 20(1), 10-11.

Supporting Secondary Students in Building External Models is a collaborative project with Michigan State University and the Concord Consortium, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to examine how to support secondary school students in constructing and revising models to explain scientific phenomena and design solutions to problems. This article describes the project and research plans.

Damelin, D., & Krajcik, J. (2016). Supporting secondary students in building external models to explain phenomena. @Concord, 20(1), 10-11.

This brief article provides an overview of how to use the SageModeler systems modeling tool with an ocean acidification model as an example.

Damelin, D. (2016). Monday's lesson: Students making models. @Concord, 20(2), 7.

This study sought to identify specific types of discussion-based strategies that two successful high school physics teachers using a model-based approach utilized in attempting to foster students’ construction of explanatory models for scientific concepts.

This study investigates student interactions with simulations, and teacher support of those interactions, within naturalistic high school classroom settings. Two lesson sequences were conducted, one in 11 and one in 8 physics class sections, where roughly half the sections used the simulations in a small group format and matched sections used them in a whole class format.