Cognitive Disequilibrium and Views of Nature of Science in a Middle School Activity on Computational Modeling Paleontology

• In Event: Computational Thinking and Computational Modeling in Higher Education and K–8 Contexts

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the potential of CD to influence students’ conceptual change in views of nature of science in a middle school learning activity. The study used a concurrent embedded mixed method design. Four existing classes of eighth-graders were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group. Both groups experienced the same lesson except for the CD treatment, which was implemented to trigger an uncomfortable state of uncertainty as a result of students obtaining anomalous data on Megalodon length.
Results revealed that students in the treatment group developed more informed views of nature of science than students in the control group. Due to word limit, more findings and implications will be provided during the presentation.

Authors

• Wenjing Luo, University of Florida

• Pasha Antonenko, University of Florida

• Tredina Sheppard, University of Florida

• Victor Perez, University of Florida

• Aaron Wood, Iowa State University

• Bruce MacFadden, University of Florida

• Claudia Grant