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Middle School Students' Use of the Energy Concept to Engage in New Learning: What Ideas Matter?

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Title: Middle School Students' Use of the Energy Concept to Engage in New Learning: What Ideas Matter?
Language: English
Authors: Jeffrey Nordine (ORCID 0000-0003-2279-0763), Marcus Kubsch (ORCID 0000-0001-5497-8336), David Fortus (ORCID 0000-0002-6157-4505), Joseph Krajcik, Knut Neumann (ORCID 0000-0002-4391-7308)
Source: Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 2024 61(9):2191-2222.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 32
Publication Date: 2024
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Contract Number: 1431725
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Energy, Scientific Concepts, Science Instruction, Energy Education, Prior Learning, Teaching Methods, Phenomenology, Learner Engagement, Authentic Learning, Science Curriculum, Student Projects, Active Learning
DOI: 10.1002/tea.21950
ISSN: 0022-4308
1098-2736
Abstract: One reason for the widespread use of the energy concept across the sciences is that energy analysis can be used to interpret the behavior of systems even if one does not know the particular mechanisms that underlie the observed behavior. By providing an approach to interpreting unfamiliar phenomena, energy provides a lens on phenomena that can set the stage for deeper learning about how and why phenomena occur. However, not all energy ideas are equally productive in setting the stage for new learning. In particular, researchers have debated the value of teaching students to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. In this study, we investigated how two different approaches to middle school energy instruction--one emphasizing energy transformations between forms and one emphasizing energy transfers between systems--prepared students to use their existing energy knowledge to engage in new learning about a novel energy-related phenomenon. To do this, we designed a new assessment instrument to elicit student initial ideas about the phenomenon and to compare how effectively students from each approach learned from authentic learning resources. Our results indicate that students who learned to interpret phenomenon in terms of energy transfers between systems learned more effectively from available learning resources than did students who learned to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. This study informs the design of introductory energy instruction and approaches for assessing how students existing knowledge guides new learning about phenomena.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1444673
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Middle School Students' Use of the Energy Concept to Engage in New Learning: What Ideas Matter?
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeffrey+Nordine%22">Jeffrey Nordine</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2279-0763">0000-0003-2279-0763</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marcus+Kubsch%22">Marcus Kubsch</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5497-8336">0000-0001-5497-8336</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David+Fortus%22">David Fortus</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6157-4505">0000-0002-6157-4505</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joseph+Krajcik%22">Joseph Krajcik</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Knut+Neumann%22">Knut Neumann</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4391-7308">0000-0002-4391-7308</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Science+Teaching%22"><i>Journal of Research in Science Teaching</i></searchLink>. 2024 61(9):2191-2222.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 32
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
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  Data: 1431725
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy%22">Energy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Concepts%22">Scientific Concepts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+Education%22">Energy Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prior+Learning%22">Prior Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phenomenology%22">Phenomenology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Authentic+Learning%22">Authentic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Curriculum%22">Science Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Projects%22">Student Projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/tea.21950
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  Data: 0022-4308<br />1098-2736
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  Data: One reason for the widespread use of the energy concept across the sciences is that energy analysis can be used to interpret the behavior of systems even if one does not know the particular mechanisms that underlie the observed behavior. By providing an approach to interpreting unfamiliar phenomena, energy provides a lens on phenomena that can set the stage for deeper learning about how and why phenomena occur. However, not all energy ideas are equally productive in setting the stage for new learning. In particular, researchers have debated the value of teaching students to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. In this study, we investigated how two different approaches to middle school energy instruction--one emphasizing energy transformations between forms and one emphasizing energy transfers between systems--prepared students to use their existing energy knowledge to engage in new learning about a novel energy-related phenomenon. To do this, we designed a new assessment instrument to elicit student initial ideas about the phenomenon and to compare how effectively students from each approach learned from authentic learning resources. Our results indicate that students who learned to interpret phenomenon in terms of energy transfers between systems learned more effectively from available learning resources than did students who learned to interpret phenomena in terms of energy forms and transformations. This study informs the design of introductory energy instruction and approaches for assessing how students existing knowledge guides new learning about phenomena.
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: EJ1444673
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        Value: 10.1002/tea.21950
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy
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      – SubjectFull: Scientific Concepts
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      – SubjectFull: Phenomenology
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      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
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      – TitleFull: Middle School Students' Use of the Energy Concept to Engage in New Learning: What Ideas Matter?
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