Designing computational models as Emergent Systems Microworlds to support epistemically agentive learning of emergent biological phenomena

Sugat Prasanna Dabholkar*, Uri Wilensky

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

To support students’ agency in the process of constructing knowledge in a science classroom, it is important to design learning environments that allow students to shape knowledge building practices. In this paper, we present an Emergent Systems Microworld (ESM)-based learning environment called GenEvo, which is designed to ‘restructurate’ learning of fundamental ideas in modern biology, such as gene regulation. We study how cognitive, social, and affective properties of agent-based restructurations supported student learning. We report findings from a qualitative analysis of video data of student participation and interviews in the fourth iteration of a design-based research project about an ESM-based curricular unit. We discuss how specific design features of the ESM supported students’ epistemically agentive learning. Students of the GenEvo course shaped practices to investigate and construct knowledge about emergent biological phenomena and learned about emergent phenomena related to gene regulation and evolution. This work demonstrates how the properties of a restructuration make ESM-based learning environments effective for students to collectively shape knowledge building practices and learn about emergent phenomena.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalInternational Journal of Science Education
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2024

Keywords

  • Agent-based modelling
  • constructionism
  • epistemic agency
  • restructurations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Designing computational models as Emergent Systems Microworlds to support epistemically agentive learning of emergent biological phenomena'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this