Students' Difficulties With Randomness in Complex Systems: A Design-Based Research Study

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Learning Sciences SIG Poster Session

Abstract

Students’ difficulties with randomness and probability have been identified as one of the major sources of difficulties in learning complex systems and emergent phenomena. This paper explores students’ difficulties with different types of randomness in complex systems through a design-based research study revolving around a computer model-based scientific inquiry curricular unit--BeeSmart. Through analyzing interview data, we found that randomness in agents’ interactions, as opposed to actions, are more challenging for students to understand. This finding contributes to the literature of learning complex systems and the design of model-based curriculum by providing more detailed distinctions between different types of randomness and the difficulties associated with them.

Authors

• Yu Guo, Northwestern University

• Uri J. Wilensky, Northwestern University