Scientific Reasoning Research Institute - Current

For TinkerPlots Software and Materials

Jang Kreetong — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 15:36:40 +0000

go to www.tinkerplots.com

Click here for downloads, support, activities.

TinkerPlots has a new publisher.

TinkerPlots was developed at the University of Massachusetts as part of the NSF-funded TinkerPlots project.

Strategies For Using Interactive Simulations In Science Class

lstephens — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 00:47:24 +0000

a website for educators

Group Page:

CLSG

Contact(s):

Clement, John

Funding:

NSF Grants DRL-1222709 and DRL-0723709

http://www.umass.edu/teachingstrategies/

This manual is the product of a long-term project designed to investigate the different teaching strategies that science teachers use with simulations in the classroom. The site contains a collection of approximately 40 strategies for using simulations in science classes.

The manual is set up in two sections shown in the lists below. The first section is composed of nine core strategies and contains some video examples. We chose to highlight these strategies because they show different ways simulations can be used to enhance science lessons and support student learning. Many of these strategies have not been written about before.

Strategies for Leading Classroom Discussions Aimed at Core Ideas and Scientific Modeling Practices

lstephens — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 00:35:15 +0000

Group Page:

CLSG

Starting date:

2015-08-01

Contact: John Clement
Funding: NSF DRK-12 Program # DRL-1503456

This NSF funded project is conducting classroom case studies in the areas of high school mechanics and electricity, and middle school life sciences in order to identify key discussion leading strategies used by exemplary teachers. It will also combine the results of the case studies with studies of expert scientists reasoning practices to develop an integrated theoretical framework for model based learning in science.

Data Games

konold — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:07:58 +0000

Tools and Materials for Learning Data Modeling

Group Page:

SERG

Contact(s):

Konold, Cliff

Funding:

National Science Foundation

Starting date:

2009-09-01

by:

Cliff Konold

Students playing computer games generate large quantities of rich, interesting, highly variable data that mostly evaporates into the ether when the game ends.

What if in a classroom setting, data from games students played remained accessible to them for analysis? In software and curriculum materials being developed by the Data Games project at UMass Amherst and KCP Technologies, data generated by students playing computer games form the raw material for mathematics classroom activities. Students play a short video game, analyze the game data, conjecture improved strategies, and test their strategies in another round of the game.

The video games are embedded in TinkerPlots and Fathom , two data analysis learning environments widely used in grades 5–8 and 8–14 respectively. The game data appear in graphs in real time, allowing several cycles of strategy improvement in a short time. The games are designed so that these cycles improve understanding of specific data modeling and/or mathematics concepts. Lessons will be embedded in LessonLink from Key Curriculum Press to facilitate their integration into standard curricula. The three-year project expands research in students’ understanding of data modeling and their ability to learn mathematical content embedded in data-rich contexts.

For more project details see the Data Games Project Page at KCPT.

For the games developed at SRRI, see Games.

For games and activities, see Data Games product website - SRRI copy

Model Construction Processes in Experts

root — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:44:50 +0000

Contact(s):

Clement, John

This project complements and provides input to our science education projects by attempting to understand model construction and learning processes in expert scientists, with an emphasis on the roles of analogy, imagery, and thought experiments.