Modeling Instruction: An Effective Model for Science Education

The authors describe a Modeling Instruction program that places an emphasis on the construction and application of conceptual models of physical phenomena as a central aspect of learning and doing science. Introduction Modeling Instruction is an evolving, research-based program for high school science education reform that was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1989 to 2005. The name Modeling Instruction expresses an emphasis on the construction and application of conceptual models of physical phenomena as a central aspect of learning and doing science (Hestenes, 1987; Wells et al, 1995; Hestenes, 1997). Both the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards (NCTM), as well as Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993) recommend "models and modeling" as a unifying theme for science and mathematics education. To our knowledge , no other program has implemented this theme so thoroughly. From 1995 to 1999, 200 high school physics teachers participated in two four-week Leadership Modeling Workshops with NSF support. Since thattime, 2500 additional teachers from 48 states and a few other nations have taken summer Modeling Workshops at universities in many states, supported largely by state funds. Participants include teachers from public and private schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Modeling Workshops at Arizona State University (ASU) are the cornerstone of a graduate program for teachers of the physical sciences. Recently, Modeling has expanded to embrace the entire middle/high school physical science curriculum. The program has an extensive web site at http://modeling.asu. edu. Product: Students Who Can Think Modeling Instruction meets or exceeds NSES teaching standards, professional development standards, assessment standards, and content and inquiry standards. Modeling Instruction produces students who engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about matters of scientific and technical concern. Betsy Barnard, a modeler in Madison, Wisconsin, noticed a significant change in this area after Modeling was implemented in her school: "I teach a course in biotechnology, mostly to seniors, nearly all of whom had physics the previous year. When asked to formally present information to the class about controversial topics such as cloning or genetically modified organisms, it is delightfully clear how much more articulate and confident they are. " Students in modeling classrooms experience first-hand the richness and excitement of learningabout the natural world. One example comes from Phoenix modeler Robert McDowell. He wrote that, under traditional instruction, "when asked a question about some science application in a movie, I might get a few students who would cite 1-2 errors, but usually with uncertainty. Since I started Modeling, the students now bring up their own topics . not just from movies, but their everyday experiences. " One of his students wrote, "Mr. McDowell, I was at a Diamondback baseball game recently, and all I could think of was all the physics problems involved. " A former student of another modeler, Gail Seemueller of Rhode Island, described itas follows: "She wanted us to truly LEARN and more importantly UNDERSTAND the material. I was engaged. We did many hands-on experiments of which I can still vividly remember, three years later. " Kelli Gamez Warble of rural Arizona, who has taught physics and calculus for a decade using Modeling Instruction, has had numerous students whose career choices were influenced by Modeling Instruction. She wrote about discovering several former students when visiting an ASU Engineering Day, and all but one were females. She wrote, "As a former female engineering student myself, I was gratified but not surprised. Modeling encourages cooperation and discourse about complicated ideas in a non-threatening, supportive environment. …