Academic Journal
Examining Student Testing and Debugging within a Computational Systems Modeling Context
| Τίτλος: | Examining Student Testing and Debugging within a Computational Systems Modeling Context |
|---|---|
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Συγγραφείς: | Bowers, Jonathan (ORCID |
| Πηγή: | Journal of Science Education and Technology. Aug 2023 32(4):607-628. |
| Διαθεσιμότητα: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 22 |
| Ημερομηνία έκδοσης: | 2023 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Τύπος εγγράφου: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Computer Science Education, Systems Approach, Thinking Skills, Science Education, Models, Scientific Concepts, Concept Formation, Student Behavior, Behavior Patterns, Units of Study, Computer Software, Peer Evaluation, Educational Environment, Comparative Analysis, Criticism |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10956-023-10049-w |
| ISSN: | 1059-0145 1573-1839 |
| Περίληψη: | Interpreting and creating computational systems models is an important goal of science education. One aspect of computational systems modeling that is supported by modeling, systems thinking, and computational thinking literature is "testing, evaluating, and debugging models." Through testing and debugging, students can identify aspects of their models that either do not match external data or conflict with their conceptual understandings of a phenomenon. This disconnect encourages students to make model revisions, which in turn deepens their conceptual understanding of a phenomenon. Given that many students find testing and debugging challenging, we set out to investigate the various testing and debugging behaviors and behavioral patterns that students use when building and revising computational system models in a supportive learning environment. We designed and implemented a 6-week unit where students constructed and revised a computational systems model of evaporative cooling using SageModeler software. Our results suggest that despite being in a common classroom, the three groups of students in this study all utilized different testing and debugging behavioral patterns. Group 1 focused on using external peer feedback to identify flaws in their model, group 2 used verbal and written discourse to critique their model's structure and suggest structural changes, and group 3 relied on systemic analysis of model output to drive model revisions. These results suggest that multiple aspects of the learning environment are necessary to enable students to take these different approaches to testing and debugging. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2023 |
| Αριθμός Καταχώρησης: | EJ1381929 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | ERIC |
| ISSN: | 1059-0145 1573-1839 |
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| DOI: | 10.1007/s10956-023-10049-w |