Chemistry design project
  The heating-and-cooling unit: A design-project in a chemistry classroom

 

 


Overview

Design-based learning (DBL) is a form of project-based learning in which students learn what they need to learn in a just-in-time fashion while trying to design something. In my group, we build 6-to-8-week-long DBL units for middle school and highschool math and science classrooms. These units use engineering design processes as a foundational structure for the units—this structure improves the design outcomes and provides an organizaton of the math/science learning that happens inside the classroom. However, we need to add additional supports into the process to maximize learning in this classroom setting.
   
         
 
Recent Results
  • Relative to an existing hands-on curriculum, students in one of our DBL units learned 2x as much science content during a similar period of learning
  • All groups benefited from participating in the DBL, but the largest effects were seen with traditionally underserved minority students
  • Students using our DBL units show significant gains in scientific reasoning skills
    
   

 

 

    
 
The Team
    
       
 
Schunn Lab: Sam Abramovich, Birdy Reynolds, Eli Silk, Kevin Topolski
    
 
Collaborators: Amy Landis (Pitt Engr), Robin Shoop (CMU), Ross Hagashi (CMU)
    
           
Home Page Image
 

Students from the annual design competition that we host. Top teams from each class who implement our DBL units come to the competition.

This year's competition: Feb 19th, 2010.

A video of the 2009 Design Competition

  
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Current Projects

Connecting Research and Teaching Through Product Realization (RET). We work with high school science teachers in the summers to provide them with innovative engineering design experiences (over in the school of engineering with Amy Landis, and with Sondra Balouris from Health and Rehabilitation Sciences). We also work with the teachers to build design-based learning projects do be implemented during the school year in their high school classrooms.

Robot Algebra. Robotics curricula designed to strengthen pre-algebra and algebra math skills in urban middle and high school students. This work is done collaboratively with Robin Shoop and Ross Hagashi at CMU's NREC.
   
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Publications
    
 
  • Silk, E. M., Higashi, R., Shoop, R., Schunn, C. D. (2010). Designing technology activities that teach mathematics. The Technology Teacher, 69(4), 21-27. pdf
  • Silk, E. M., Schunn, C. D., & Shoop, R. (2009). Synchronized robot dancing: Motivating efficiency and meaning in problem solving with robotics. Robot Magazine, 17, 42-45.
  • Schunn, C. D. (2009). How Kids Learn Engineering: The Cognitive Science Perspective. The Bridge, 39(3), 32-37. pdf
  • Doppelt, Y. , Schunn, C. D., Silk, E., Mehalik, M., Reynolds, B., & Ward, E. (2009). Evaluating the impact of a facilitated learning community approach to professional development on teacher practice and student achievement. Research in Science & Technological Education, 27(3), 339-354. pdf
  • Silk, E., Schunn, C. D., & Cary, M. S. (2009) The impact of an engineering design curriculum on science reasoning in an urban setting. Journal of Science Education and Technology. pdf
  • Reynolds, B., Mehalik, M. M., Lovell, M. R., & Schunn, C. D. (2009). Increasing student awareness of and interest in engineering as a career option through design-based learning. International Journal of Engineering Education. pdf
  • Apedoe, X., Reynolds, B., Ellefson, M. R., & Schunn, C. D. (2009). Bringing engineering design into high school science classrooms: The heating/cooling unit. Journal of Science Education and Technology. pdf
  • Doppelt, Y. & Schunn, C. D. (2008). Identifying students' perceptions of the important classroom features affecting learning aspects of a design based learning environment? Learning Environments Research, 11(3). pdf
  • Ellefson, M., Brinker, R., Vernacchio, V., & Schunn, C. D. (2008). Design-based learning for biology: Genetic engineering experience improves understanding of gene expression. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 36(4), 292–298. pdf
  • Doppelt, Y., Mehalik, M. M., Schunn, C. D., & Krysinski, D. (2008). Engagement and achievements in design-based learning. Journal of Technology Education, 19(2), 21-38. pdf
  • Mehalik, M. M., & Doppelt, Y., & Schunn, C. D. (2008). Middle-school science through design-based learning versus scripted inquiry: Better overall science concept learning and equity gap reduction. Journal of Engineering Education, 97(1), 71-85. pdf

Policy Briefs

LPC Brief