Abstract
Computer simulations help students visualize abstract scientific concepts. Yet their effectiveness depends upon the kinds of supports students receive. In this study, we explore the verbal and gestural supports we provided to students as they viewed a computer model of molecular conduction and constructed causal-mechanistic explanations for heat transfer. Using a complex systems and embodied approach to students’ conceptions, we conducted a cross-comparison case study of four students’ experiences with the simulation. By comparing students with richer scaffolding interactions to those with weaker scaffolds, we found that directing student attention towards causal elements in the simulation along with requesting them to gesture about the function of those elements helped students develop sophisticated explanations. We describe these cases and reveal ways these scaffolds can and cannot be enacted with the simulation. Implications for instruction and future work are described.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 56-63 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Proceedings of International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue number | 2018-June |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2018 |
| Event | 13th International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2018: Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age: Making the Learning Sciences Count - London, United Kingdom Duration: Jun 23 2018 → Jun 27 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Science (miscellaneous)
- Education
Cite this
Exploring multimodal scaffolds supporting middle school students’ construction of causal-mechanistic scientific explanations. / Mathayas, Nitasha; Brown, David E.
In: Proceedings of International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS, Vol. 1, No. 2018-June, 01.01.2018, p. 56-63.Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring multimodal scaffolds supporting middle school students’ construction of causal-mechanistic scientific explanations
AU - Mathayas, Nitasha
AU - Brown, David E
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Computer simulations help students visualize abstract scientific concepts. Yet their effectiveness depends upon the kinds of supports students receive. In this study, we explore the verbal and gestural supports we provided to students as they viewed a computer model of molecular conduction and constructed causal-mechanistic explanations for heat transfer. Using a complex systems and embodied approach to students’ conceptions, we conducted a cross-comparison case study of four students’ experiences with the simulation. By comparing students with richer scaffolding interactions to those with weaker scaffolds, we found that directing student attention towards causal elements in the simulation along with requesting them to gesture about the function of those elements helped students develop sophisticated explanations. We describe these cases and reveal ways these scaffolds can and cannot be enacted with the simulation. Implications for instruction and future work are described.
AB - Computer simulations help students visualize abstract scientific concepts. Yet their effectiveness depends upon the kinds of supports students receive. In this study, we explore the verbal and gestural supports we provided to students as they viewed a computer model of molecular conduction and constructed causal-mechanistic explanations for heat transfer. Using a complex systems and embodied approach to students’ conceptions, we conducted a cross-comparison case study of four students’ experiences with the simulation. By comparing students with richer scaffolding interactions to those with weaker scaffolds, we found that directing student attention towards causal elements in the simulation along with requesting them to gesture about the function of those elements helped students develop sophisticated explanations. We describe these cases and reveal ways these scaffolds can and cannot be enacted with the simulation. Implications for instruction and future work are described.
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M3 - Conference article
AN - SCOPUS:85053909098
VL - 1
SP - 56
EP - 63
JO - Proceedings of International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS
JF - Proceedings of International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS
SN - 1814-9316
IS - 2018-June
ER -