| Project | ThinkerTools Scientific Inquiry and Modeling |
| Contact | Barbara White, John Frederiksen, and Christina Schwarz |
| bywhite@socrates.berkeley.edu, frederik@u.washington.edu | |
| URL | http://thinkertools.soe.berkeley.edu/ |
| Project description | The ThinkerTools Scientific Inquiry and Modeling research group is interested in creating instructional approaches and materials that make scientific inquiry and modeling accessible to a wide range of students. As a result, we have developed a computer-enhanced, middle-school, science curriculum that enables students and teachers to learn about the processes of scientific inquiry and modeling as they construct a theory of force and motion. This curriculum utilizes our ThinkerTools force and motion software, which enables students to create and experiment with Newtonian simulations of force and motion phenomena. Using simple drawing tools, students can construct and run computer simulations. Objects and barriers can be placed on the screen. Students can define and change the properties of any object, such as its mass, elasticity, and velocity. They can also apply impulses to the object or vary the amount of friction and gravity to see what happens. Further, the software includes representation, measurement and analysis tools that help students see the behavioral implications of Newton's theory and discover the underlying principles. In our latest research effort, we have emphasized helping students learn about scientific modeling. This new version of the curriculum allows students to engage in model-oriented activities such as creating non-Newtonian computer microworlds for embodying their own conceptual models, evaluating their models with criteria (like accuracy and plausibility), and reflecting on the nature of models. To make this possible, the computer software has been modified so that students can now choose among alternative laws of force and motion (many of which are non-Newtonian) and can observe the ramifications of alternative laws in the resultant microworlds. |
| Theoretical background | Our research is based on an inquiry-oriented, constructivist approach to science education that synthesizes recent advances in cognitive science with advances in educational technology. Our goal is to create exemplary materials along with supporting social structures for teachers. We have also incorporated modern accounts of epistemology of science in developing our approach to science instruction. Further, our instructional framework includes techniques such as cognitive scaffolding and establishing a community of practice. |
| Challenges | Many instructional approaches to scientific modeling have met with limited success in teaching students about the purpose of modern scientific modeling (creating, testing and refining theories). For example, in the case of the ThinkerTools force and motion software, we have found that students often use this computer modeling tool either for game-playing (often), for expressing their theories (sometimes), or for observing ramifications of their theories (seldom). Unlike scientists, they rarely modify their own theories as a result of running their models and investigating their ramifications. So, we are concerned with how to create better, more authentic instructional environments for students to use the scientific modeling tools we create in order to more readily refine their own conceptual theories. |
| Partnership | We seek to create partnerships with research groups that have created modeling and simulation tools in other subject areas. We wish to expand our curriculum to additional areas so that our teachers can transfer the scientific inquiry and modeling framework to all of their instruction and we seek additional technological tools with which to do this. For example, we recently created another version of our ThinkerTools Inquiry Curriculum that centers around the GenScope software. |