Abstract
Training preservice teachers for future STEM teaching is imperative, and yet they are often trained to teach only one of the STEM disciplines in isolation. This chapter proposes an interdisciplinary module that integrates coding and scientific modeling skills. Specifically, it reports the impact of scaffolding preservice teachers' hypothesis formation and testing as they use block-based code to create science simulations and develop models of a water purifying system. This mixed methods study used preservice teachers' hypotheses, written reflections, and interviews as data sources. Results showed that scaffolds appeared to have a positive impact on preservice teachers' model development as they promoted abstraction, better understanding of the experiment, negotiation of meaning between teammates, and efforts to achieve representational accuracy between hypotheses and simulations. Implications for practice, future directions for research, and study limitations are discussed.
TopBackground
Scientific Models and Modeling
Scientific models are tools that simplify and indirectly represent a complex phenomenon in the real world (Knuuttila, 2011; Seel, 2017). Scientific models can be created and recreated for a range of epistemic goals such as hypothesis testing, analysis of variables, explanation and visualization of a phenomenon over time, prediction of outcomes from certain events (Gouvea & Passmore, 2017; Mahr, 2011) like hurricane models in the weather forecast, and more. The process of creating scientific models is called scientific modeling. Specifically, scientific modeling is an iterative knowledge generation process that entails constructing, testing, evaluating, and revising models to better understand or explain a certain phenomenon (Nelson & Davis, 2012; Schwarz et al., 2009; Vasconcelos & Kim, 2020a).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Instructional Scaffolding: Temporary support that is provided to help a learner achieve a goal or complete a task that is slightly above their competence level.
Hypothesis Formation: It entails articulating a connection between conceptual variables in a way that they can be operationalized and manipulated.
Hypothesis: A statement that establishes a relationship or proposed explanation between two or more variables of interest.
Block-based Code: A programming language that uses a set of blocks that embody specific computer programming commands. This language is suitable for learners of all ages who have no previous programming experience.
Scientific Modeling: The process of constructing, testing, evaluating, and revising models to better understand or explain a certain phenomenon.
Simulations: Dynamic models that embody rules and characteristics of a phenomenon in the real world and allow one to indirectly manipulate them to visualize outcomes of certain actions.
Hypothesis Testing: It consists of verifying and validating if a relationship between certain conceptual variables exists.
Scientific Model: A tool that simplifies and indirectly represents a complex phenomenon in the real world.