Beyond assessing knowledge about models and modeling: Moving toward expansive, meaningful, and equitable modeling practice

Schwarz, Christina V.; Salgado, Michelle; Manz, Eve

doi:10.1002/tea.21770

Cited by 22 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…The post‐unit assessments aligned closely with the unit and provided information on student interim unit‐specific science proficiency. Considering the significance of modeling practice on student science learning (Baumfalk et al, 2019; Ke & Schwarz, 2021; Schwarz et al, 2022) and the importance of coherence in unit design, developing and using models were selected as central scientific practices in the units to support student learning, which were also central scientific practices measured by the post‐unit assessments. The third‐party end‐of‐year summative test was designed by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to measure student science proficiency on the corresponding NGSS performance expectations.…”

Section: Research Background and Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting student science achievement using post‐unit assessment performances in a coherent high school chemistry project‐based learning system

Chen

Touitou

et al. 2022

J Res Sci Teach

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Student science proficiency development demands sustainable and coherent learning environment support. Scholars argue that project‐based learning (PBL) is an efficient approach to promoting student science learning, compared to conventional instructions. Yet, few studies have delved into the learning process to explore how a coherent PBL system consisting of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning promotes student learning. To address the gap, this study investigated whether students' science proficiency on the three post‐unit assessments predicted their achievement on a third‐party‐designed end‐of‐year summative science test in a coherent high school chemistry PBL system aligned with the recent US science standards. The study employed a cluster randomized experimental design to test an intervention using our PBL system and only used data from the treatment group. The sample consisted of 1344 treatment students who participated in our PBL intervention and underwent the pretest and end‐of‐year summative test. Students' responses to the three post‐unit assessments were selected and rated to indicate their science proficiency. Two‐level hierarchical linear models were employed to explore the effects of students' performances of three post‐unit assessments on their end‐of‐year summative achievement, considering and controlling for student prior knowledge (i.e., pretest and prior post‐unit assessments). This study suggests two main findings. First, students' science proficiency in the three units could cumulatively and individually predict their summative science achievement. Second, students' performances on the two types of tasks (i.e., developing and using models) in the three post‐unit assessments could also be used to predict their summative science achievement. This research contributes to the field by showing that a coherent standards‐aligned PBL system can significantly and sustainably impact student science proficiency development.

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Section: Research Background and Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting student science achievement using post‐unit assessment performances in a coherent high school chemistry project‐based learning system

Chen

Touitou

et al. 2022

J Res Sci Teach

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“…We see learning as a process of developing cultural practices through social interactions with others (Nasir et al, 2014). From this stance, we see heterogeneity as fundamental to learning (Rosebery et al, 2010) and believe that students learn best when they consider a wealth of diverse ideas (Haverly et al, 2020) and engage in expansive forms of science practices (Schwarz et al, 2022). We thus question the value of automated assessment that fits students' understandings into predetermined boxes.…”

Section: Should We Rely On Automated Forms Of Assessment For Formativ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can we and should we use artificial intelligence for formative assessment in science?

Reigh

et al. 2023

J Res Sci Teach

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“…For example, Schwarz and her colleagues write, “The core work of modeling is embodying, using, and refining ideas through iteratively developing representations to describe, connect, explain, and predict phenomena and systems. Any object or representation that is used to think about a process or system can be considered as a model” (p 1086) . That is, models are tools that support learners in attending to aspects of systems salient to a prediction or explanation that the community finds productive. , In the context of organic chemistry, this means that specialist representations (Newman projections, electron-pushing mechanisms, potential energy surfaces, etc.)…”

Section: What Is (Or Should Be) the Point Of Representations In Chemi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Any object or representation that is used to think about a process or system can be considered as a model" (p 1086). 17 That is, models are tools that support learners in attending to aspects of systems salient to a prediction or explanation that the community finds productive. 16,18 In the context of organic chemistry, this means that specialist representations (Newman projections, electronpushing mechanisms, potential energy surfaces, etc.)…”

Section: Representations In Chemistry Class?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Picture Is Not the Point: Toward Using Representations as Models for Making Sense of Phenomena

Stowe

Esselman

2022

J. Chem. Educ.

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Organic chemistry students are routinely bombarded with an array of specialized representations (e.g., electron-pushing mechanisms, Newman projections, chair conformations). For practicing chemists, the purpose of representing aspects of a system is to enable prediction or explanation of phenomena. For students, the purpose of drawing and translating between representations is often much less clear. Commonly, “draw the thing” is treated as the end-goal of instruction and assessment. We agree with a chorus of science education scholars that learning science should not be materially different from doing science. With respect to representations, that means that students should use representations for the purpose of attending to and visualizing the components of a system salient to a productive explanation or prediction. Here, we encourage the community to reflect on how and why representations are integrated into their organic chemistry courses. Are drawing and translating between representations treated as ends unto themselves, or are they part of an ensemble of activities directed at understanding why phenomena unfold as they do? We are hopeful that the conversations this commentary provokes help us move toward using representations as models for sensemaking.

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Beyond assessing knowledge about models and modeling: Moving toward expansive, meaningful, and equitable modeling practice

Cited by 22 publications

References 41 publications

Predicting student science achievement using post‐unit assessment performances in a coherent high school chemistry project‐based learning system

Predicting student science achievement using post‐unit assessment performances in a coherent high school chemistry project‐based learning system

Can we and should we use artificial intelligence for formative assessment in science?

The Picture Is Not the Point: Toward Using Representations as Models for Making Sense of Phenomena

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