scholarly journals Deepening Science Engagement With Challenge Based Learning: Research Report

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emi Iwatani ◽  
Barbara Means ◽  
Maria R. Romero ◽  
Mai Chou Vang
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Middle School Teachers ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
School Science ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Instructional Coaches ◽  
Educational Challenge ◽  
Challenge Based Learning

Learn about the Challenge Based Science Learning Project and its larger implications for the fields of Next Generation Science Learning and Open Educational Resources. The project involved 18 middle school teachers and five administrators from three U.S. school districts partnering with instructional coaches and learning sciences researchers from Digital Promise to address an ambitious educational challenge: How might we deepen engagement and learning of middle school science in our schools and beyond?

Using Reason Racer to Support Argumentation in Middle School Science Instruction

2016 ◽  
pp. 1192-1223
Author(s):  
Marilyn Ault ◽  
Jana Craig-Hare ◽  
James D. Ellis ◽  
Janis Bulgren ◽  
Isa Kretschmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
Science Instruction ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
School Science ◽  
Role Playing Games ◽  
Competitive Game ◽  
Casual Games ◽  
Game Features

With secondary students reporting that they are not attracted to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines, educators are turning to games as one strategy to engage students. The goal of integrating games into science learning is to create an excitement difficult to achieve with typical instruction. This chapter reviews games in education, particularly in STEM. Recognizing that teachers often lack the time to integrate role-playing games, the use of casual games is suggested. Casual games are easy to learn and simple to play, and incorporate game features designed to compel students to repeated play. The Reason Racer game addresses the difficult skill of scientific argumentation in a casual, competitive game. Evaluated with more than 700 students, those who played the game at least 10 times during science instruction over 6-weeks improved in every aspect of argumentation, and reported an increase in confidence and motivation to engage in science, compared to those who did not play the game. Readers are walked through the game and the resources in the Teacher Portal.

Using Reason Racer to Support Argumentation in Middle School Science Instruction

2015 ◽  
pp. 399-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn Ault ◽  
Jana Craig-Hare ◽  
James D. Ellis ◽  
Janis Bulgren ◽  
Isa Kretschmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
Science Instruction ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
School Science ◽  
Role Playing Games ◽  
Competitive Game ◽  
Casual Games ◽  
Game Features

With secondary students reporting that they are not attracted to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines, educators are turning to games as one strategy to engage students. The goal of integrating games into science learning is to create an excitement difficult to achieve with typical instruction. This chapter reviews games in education, particularly in STEM. Recognizing that teachers often lack the time to integrate role-playing games, the use of casual games is suggested. Casual games are easy to learn and simple to play, and incorporate game features designed to compel students to repeated play. The Reason Racer game addresses the difficult skill of scientific argumentation in a casual, competitive game. Evaluated with more than 700 students, those who played the game at least 10 times during science instruction over 6-weeks improved in every aspect of argumentation, and reported an increase in confidence and motivation to engage in science, compared to those who did not play the game. Readers are walked through the game and the resources in the Teacher Portal.

Do You Understand Your Algorithms?

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
Jamar Pickreign ◽  
Robert Rogers
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Middle School Teachers ◽  
Algebraic Thinking ◽  
Computational Algorithms ◽  
Successful Completion ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
School Students

Because an increasing number OF school districts requires the successful completion of an algebra course to graduate from high school, many middle school teachers are beginning to focus more attention on introducing algebraic thinking to their students (NCTM 2003). Consequently, it becomes important to consider ways to ensure that these experiences are meaningful and connected to arithmetical experiences from the earlier grades. We believe that presenting middle school students with activities that involve exploring computational algorithms—how and why they work—can contribute to the development and promotion of algebraic thinking.

Using Reason Racer to Support Argumentation in Middle School Science Instruction

2016 ◽  
pp. 1008-1040
Author(s):  
Marilyn Ault ◽  
Jana Craig-Hare ◽  
James D. Ellis ◽  
Janis Bulgren ◽  
Isa Kretschmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
Science Instruction ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
School Science ◽  
Role Playing Games ◽  
Competitive Game ◽  
Casual Games ◽  
Game Features

With secondary students reporting that they are not attracted to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines, educators are turning to games as one strategy to engage students. The goal of integrating games into science learning is to create an excitement difficult to achieve with typical instruction. This chapter reviews games in education, particularly in STEM. Recognizing that teachers often lack the time to integrate role-playing games, the use of casual games is suggested. Casual games are easy to learn and simple to play, and incorporate game features designed to compel students to repeated play. The Reason Racer game addresses the difficult skill of scientific argumentation in a casual, competitive game. Evaluated with more than 700 students, those who played the game at least 10 times during science instruction over 6-weeks improved in every aspect of argumentation, and reported an increase in confidence and motivation to engage in science, compared to those who did not play the game. Readers are walked through the game and the resources in the Teacher Portal.

Improving Middle School Science Learning Using Diagrammatic Reasoning

2016 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1184-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENNIFER G. CROMLEY ◽  
STEVEN M. WEISBERG ◽  
TING DAI ◽  
NORA S. NEWCOMBE ◽  
CHRISTIAN D. SCHUNN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Science Learning ◽  
School Science ◽  
Diagrammatic Reasoning ◽  
Middle School Science
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