Award Abstract # 2101083
Learning about Viral Epidemics through Engagement with Different Types of Models

Administratively Terminated Award
NSF Org: DRL
Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Initial Amendment Date: May 3, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: May 1, 2025
Award Number: 2101083
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Melissa J. Luna
mjluna@nsf.gov
 (703)292-8288
DRL
 Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: September 1, 2021
End Date: April 25, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $1,886,928.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $1,886,928.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $925,556.00
FY 2023 = $498,663.00

FY 2024 = $462,709.00
History of Investigator:
  • Troy Sadler (Principal Investigator)
    tsadler@unc.edu
  • Laura Zangori (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Li Ke (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Patricia Friedrichsen (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200
CHAPEL HILL
NC  US  27599-5023
(919)966-3411
Sponsor Congressional District: 04
Primary Place of Performance: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200
CHAPEL HILL
NC  US  27599-1350
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
04
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): D3LHU66KBLD5
Parent UEI: D3LHU66KBLD5
NSF Program(s): Discovery Research K-12
Primary Program Source: 04002122DB NSF Education & Human Resource
04002324DB NSF STEM Education

04002425DB NSF STEM Education
Program Reference Code(s): 096Z, 097Z
Program Element Code(s): 764500
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

The project will develop new curriculum and use it to research how high school students learn about viral epidemics while developing competencies for scientific modeling. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for supporting student learning about viral outbreaks and other complex societal issues. Given the complexity of issues like viral outbreaks, engaging learners with different types of models (e.g., mechanistic, computational and system models) is critical. However, there is little research available regarding how learners coordinate sense making across different models. This project will address the gap by studying student learning with different types of models and will use these findings to develop and study new curriculum materials that incorporate multiple models for teaching about viral epidemics in high school biology classes. COVID-19 caused devasting impacts, and marginalized groups including the Latinx community suffered disproportionately negative outcomes. The project will directly recruit Latinx students to ensure that design products are culturally responsive and account for Latinx learner needs. The project will create new pathways for engaging Latinx students in innovative, model-based curriculum about critically important issues. Project research and resources will be widely shared via publications, conference presentations, and professional development opportunities for teachers.

The project will research three aspects of student learning: a) conceptual understandings about viral epidemics, b) epistemic understandings associated with modeling, and c) model-informed reasoning about viral epidemics and potential solutions. The research will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1 will explore how students make sense of viral epidemics through different types of models. This research will be conducted with small groups of students as they work through learning activities and discourse opportunities associated with viral epidemic models. Phase 2 will research how opportunities to engage in modeling across different types of models should be supported and sequenced for learning about viral epidemics. These findings will make it possible to revise the learning performance which will be used to develop a curricular module for high school biology classes. Phase 3 will study the extent to which students learn about viral epidemics through engagement in modeling practices across different models. For this final phase, teachers will participate in professional development about viral epidemics and modeling and then implement the viral epidemic module in their biology classes. A pre- and post-test research design will be used to explore student conceptual understandings, model-informed reasoning, and epistemic understandings. The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Elsner, J. and Sadler, T. and Kirk, E. and Rawson, R. and Friedrichsen, P. and Ke, L. "Using multiple models to learn about COVID-19" The science teacher , v.90 , 2023 Citation Details
Fackler, Ayça K and Zangori, Laura A and Mahapatra, Swarna and Xu, Zhen and Sadler, Troy D "A Case of Middle Schoolers Reasoning with Multiple Models in Science Learning: Quantitative, Qualitative, or Both?" , 2024 https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2024.160837 Citation Details
Ke, Li and Kirk, Eric and Lesnefsky, Rebecca and Sadler, Troy D "Exploring system dynamics of complex societal issues through socio-scientific models" Frontiers in Education , v.8 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1219224 Citation Details
Kirk, Eric A and Romine, William L and Sadler, Troy D and Elsner, Jamie N and Zangori, Laura A and Ke, Li "Interest and effort: exploring the relationship between students Covid-19 interest and information-seeking behavior" International Journal of Science Education, Part B , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2023.2293680 Citation Details
Kirk, Eric A and Sadler, Troy D and Xu, Zhen and Elsner, Jamie N and Lesnefsky, Rebecca R and Ke, Li and Zangori, Laura "Socioscientific Modeling: Helping Students See Systems and Understand Messy Issues" Science Scope , v.47 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1080/08872376.2024.2314698 Citation Details
Kirk, Eric and Sadler, Troy and Ke, Li and Zangori, Laura "Design Considerations for a Multiple-Choice Assessment of Socio-Scientific Systems Thinking" International Journal of Designs for Learning , v.15 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v15i1.34204 Citation Details
Lesnefsky, Rebecca and Ke, Li and Sadler, Troy and Kirk, Eric A and Zangori, Laura "Middle School Students Modeling Viral Transmission" , 2023 https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2023.140516 Citation Details
Lesnefsky, Rebecca R and Kirk, Eric A and Yeldell, Jasmyne and Sadler, Troy D and Ke, Li "Socioscientific modelling as an approach towards justice-centred science pedagogy" London Review of Education , v.21 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.14324/LRE.21.1.30 Citation Details

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