Work

Developing Middle School Students’ Systems Thinking in Earth Science Through Dynamic Simulations: The Case of the Rock Cycle

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the development of students’ systems thinking about the rock cycle as they interact with an instructional module that includes three interactive simulations and accompanying questioning. We present the reasoning of six students from a whole-class design experiment in a sixth-grade classroom to describe how students’ systems thinking may be constructed and reorganized through activity with our design. Our findings highlight a framework of students’ systems thinking about the rock cycle that builds and expands prior work to specific sub-components. We also discuss an emerging framework for supporting students’ systems thinking through careful design of simulation and questioning orchestrations. These two frameworks can be used to create other instructional modules that have the potential to develop students’ systems thinking in the context of earth science.

Source: Education Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/educsci15111477

Authors: Nicole Panorkou, Amanda Provost, Gabriella Migliore

Institution: Montclair State University

Language: English

Topic: Science Education and Pedagogy

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172