Middle School

The need for mathematical modeling is vital in answering critical questions like disease spread and climate change, but beginners lack the necessary skills to plan, organize, and execute such tasks. Also, current tools are insufficient for optimal learning. To address these issues, we're developing a web-based technology (M2Studio) and a 10.5-hour curriculum to introduce students to mathematical modeling using dynamically linked representations. This three-year project aims to enhance students' modeling skills and understanding.

Project goals are 1) to map and synthesize the research literature on computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL), 2) identify topics relevant to K12 practitioners for use in practice and determine if new research is needed to create more usable knowledge, and 3) create materials with researchers and practitioners working together. In the three phases of the project, we use a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. In this poster we discuss findings from Phase 1.

The project uses design-based research to address: (1) whether and how interpreting and constructing visual representations improves students' understanding of science, and (2) what further benefits are conferred by marrying engagement with visual representations and prompts for reflection during informal science learning experiences. The project is grounded in the idea that visual representations can enhance science learning and encourage reflection on doing science that supports extension of that learning beyond a singular informal science experience.

The major goals of the project are to develop and implement an innovative fully online video-based model for professional learning of mathematics coaches in rural districts who may lack access to such opportunities.
 Our professional model has three components: (a) an online course on content-focused coaching, (b) one-on-one video-based coaching cycles, and (c) an online video coaching club. Mentor Coaches (project personnel with expertise in coaching) support Coach Participants and are themselves supported by a Lead Mentor Coach.

The Advancing Coherent and Equitable Systems of Science Education (ACESSE, or “access”) project brings together partners from educational research and practice to promote equity and coherence in systems of science education. It involves a deep collaboration between the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS), the University of Washington, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Strategies and resources from this project are being shared around the country through networks of science education leaders. See https://stemteachingtools.org/

The project aims to understand how engagement in learning mathematics is enhanced by a digital collaborative platform with an embedded problem-based curriculum and a digital mathematics notebook. We investigate how engagement and learning is affected over a year-long seventh grade course. Using digital notebooks, platform analytics, and classroom artifacts, we report on a set of initial design characteristics for digital platforms that support student collaboration in learning mathematics.

NLP-TIPS takes advantage of natural language processing (NLP) methods to detect students’ ideas in written science explanations. We design adaptive guidance that supports each student to consider their own ideas and pursue deeper understanding of phenomena. This work continues a successful partnership between University of California, Berkeley, Educational Testing Service (ETS), and science teachers from schools enrolling students from diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic groups whose cultural experiences may be neglected in science instruction.

The purpose of the Animated Contrasting Cases in Geometry (ACinG) research is two-fold: To design animated mathematics curricular materials for geometry that focus on directly comparing different approaches to solving the same geometry problem, and to examine the effects of these materials on student learning of geometry.

Socioscientific Issues (SSI) are ill-defined problems and debatable issues that can enhance student learning of scientific knowledge and literacy skills (Zeidler et al., 2005). However, most teachers are unfamiliar with planning and implementation of SSI (Macalalag et. al, 2019). Our project aimed to support the development of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge through planning and implementation of SSI lessons in their classrooms.

The purpose of this project is to gather, analyze, and synthesize research studies that have investigated different approaches to supporting students in grades 6-14 in learning to analyze, interpret, and reason about data with a focus on variation and covariation. We will use Robust Variance Estimation (RVE) to examine how effect size estimates depend on intervention characteristics, study design, outcomes of interest, and demographic characteristics of participants in the studies.