Educative Curriculum Supports for the Practice of Scientific Modeling in Project-Based Elementary Science

• In Event: Applying Multiple Lenses to the Study of Project-Based Learning to Promote Equitable Educational Opportunity

Abstract

Purpose
Many science teachers at the elementary levels have a narrow understanding and experience with modeling practices described in the NGSS (NGSS All States, 2013) as a means to develop students’ understanding (Schwarz et. al., 2009b). Perhaps educative curriculum materials can be used to support teachers’ general knowledge and decision-making around these practices (Davis & Krajcik, 2005). This case study explores teacher use of educative curriculum materials in supporting scientific modeling in one 3rd grade classroom during a PBL unit on force and motion. This study asks, How do the supports found within curriculum materials designed with educative features influence teacher’s instructional decisions in supporting 3rd grade students in developing modeling practices in a Project-based Learning environment?

Theoretical Framework
This study draws on the theory of situated learning (Lave & Wegner, 1991) and Shulman’s work (1996) on pedagogical content knowledge to explore the influence of curriculum materials designed to be educative for teachers to support them and students in the practice of model building. Modeling practices are described using features and performance levels adapted from NGSS Appendix F, Shwarz and colleagues (2017) and Baek et al (2011)

Methods and Data Sources
This study used case study methods (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) to explore the instructional decisions of a 3rd grade teacher during students’ initial experiences with modeling forces and a subsequent lesson where more abstract ideas were modeled. Case were constructed for each lesson using excerpts of educative features from curriculum lesson plans, fieldnotes of classroom instruction and student models (38) coded for practices that support modeling. Teacher interviews were used to support analysis of field notes, as well as to provide additional insight regarding the teacher’s thinking.


Findings
Analysis of student models, educative features of curriculum materials, and classroom field notes revealed a similar pattern of moving students from creating literal to abstract representations of force and motion. The curriculum materials in the second lesson provided more support for moving students to abstract representations of force as well representing the relationships between components. Observation notes provide evidence for this trend. Although these trends were reflected in the students’ models as well, when aspects such as magnitude of force were not stressed in the curriculum supports they were also missing in the teacher enactment and the student models. Interviews revealed that the teacher prepared for instruction by using the lesson plans and the educative features of the curriculum; however, she stated that the supports found in the powerpoint presentations that accompanied the lesson were easier to use during instruction than the lesson plans themselves.


Significance
These findings suggest that although the use of modeling is a new instructional practice for most elementary teachers, educative supports provided in curriculum materials can provide teachers with the pedagogical content knowledge needed to support their students to progress in the development of these scientific practices essential to explain phenomena in world around them.

Authors

• Deborah Peek-Brown, Michigan State University

• Kellie Cunningham, Michigan State University