Longitudinal impact of interactive science activities: Developing, implementing, and validating a graphing integration inventory

Abstract

Integrating sophisticated graphical analysis skills as they learn science is essential for K‐12 students and emphasized in current standards. In this study, we iteratively designed a Graphing Integration Inventory (GII) over a three‐year period, while also supporting students to develop their capabilities to use graphs to learn science content in complex ways through interactive curriculum materials implemented on a novel technology enhanced curriculum platform. We applied the Knowledge Integration framework to design the curriculum, the assessments, and the rubrics for scoring student explanations. The framework delineates ways to promote links among graphs and science ideas. The rubrics award students higher scores on their explanations based on the level of complexity of their connections between science concepts and, in this research, graphs. The GII and the aligned curriculum were implemented by over 300 middle school students (Grades 6–8) across a 3‐year period. We investigated the impact of the designed curriculum on the integration of graphing and science while also studying the psychometric properties of the GII to validate it for use in future studies. Findings suggest both that the curriculum used to support these students improved their Knowledge Integration capabilities significantly and that the GII instrument is suitable for use with populations across gender and native English language status demographics in Grades 6–8. Implications are discussed around using graphs to learn complex science ideas, as well as the affordances of technology enhanced platforms to support this type of learning and assessment.

Self-directed Science Learning During COVID-19 and Beyond

“…However, by leveraging OER that promoted inquiry with scientific models, students were able to use diagrams and graphs as avenues for expressing their understanding. Beyond remote learning, OER features that facilitate peer dialogue and joint exploration of dynamic models can encourage the type of idea expression and exchange that are critical for learning and assessment (Boda et al, 2021 ; Ryoo & Bedell, 2019 ).…”

From graphs as task to graphs as tool

“…They provided superficial answers and were unable to interpret the meaning of graphical features in the context of the system. More recent work shows that middle school students continue to find it challenging to comprehend data graphs and link them to the science concepts they represent (Boda et al, 2021; Matuk et al, 2019). At least until recently, graphs have been underutilized in middle school science (Wiese et al, 2017).…”

“…The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (National Research Council, 2013) are part of this consensus. Although it is natural to anticipate that the standards will have an impact on student experiences with graphs in the school science context, difficulties with graph interpretation continue to be documented at the middle school level and higher, both nationally and in countries that outscore the U.S. in international mathematics or science assessments (e.g., Binali et al, 2022; Boda et al, 2021; Matuk et al, 2019; Pols et al, 2021). Shah and Hoeffner (2002) found that most students recognized the communicative function of graphs but less commonly viewed them as a tool for thinking about data.…”