Supporting Primary Students’ Developing Modeling Competence for Water Systems

Document Type

Book Section

Publication Date

1-2-2020

Publication Title

Towards a Competence-Based View on Models and Modeling in Science Education

Publisher

Springer, Cham

Volume

12

First page number:

257

Last page number:

273

Abstract

Competence-based views of scientific modeling foreground students’ use of models to learn about scientific practices and disciplinary ideas. To support elementary, or primary, students’ development of modeling competence, they should be afforded opportunities to learn about the nature and use of models, modeling as a practice, and real-world phenomena. However, more empirical research is needed to help clarify how students’ modeling competence can be fostered through the design of science learning environments, as well as unique demands of model-based teaching and learning in specific disciplinary contexts. In this chapter, we discuss the conceptual foundations of a theoretically- and empirically-informed perspective on modeling competence defined by the integration of three elements – modeling practices, knowledge about models and modeling, and disciplinary concepts – into target ‘learning performances’. Second, we highlight findings from ongoing collaborative work to design and study a curricular and instructional intervention in the United States and Germany to support 3rd-grade students’ use of models to reason about the water system. Third, we discuss implications of this research, identifying questions and pathways for future research associated with a discipline-specific, integrated approach to scientific modeling.

Keywords

Elementary students; Disciplinary concepts; Science learning environments; Model-based teaching and learning

Disciplines

Education | Elementary Education and Teaching | Teacher Education and Professional Development

Language

English

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