5032 Views (as of 05/2023)
  1. Anthony Petrosino
  2. https://education.utexas.edu/faculty/anthony_petrosino
  3. Associate Professor
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Texas at Austin
  1. Corey Brady
  2. Assistant Professor
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. Vanderbilt University
  1. Jason Harron
  2. http://www.jasonharron.com
  3. Graduate Research Assistant / Ph.D. Candidate
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Texas at Austin
  1. Carolyn Remmler
  2. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  3. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University
  1. Walter Stroup
  2. Chair & Associate Professor
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  1. Uri Wilensky
  2. Lorraine H. Morton Professor
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. Northwestern University, Ctr for Conn. Learning & Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems

Collaborative Research: Group-Based Cloud Computing for STEM Education Project

NSF Awards: 1615207

2019 (see original presentation & discussion)

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, Undergraduate, Graduate

Group-Based Cloud Computing (GbCC) provides an alternative to the Initiation (teacher) - Response (student) - Evaluation (teacher) sequence of instruction typical of many classrooms. GbCC is agent-based modeling program, powered by NetLogo Web, that allows learners to work collaboratively to participate in, author, and share models. Models developed in NetLogo Web cover a range of domain content including, but not limited to: disease transmission, population dynamics, physical phenomena, and social stratification. GbCC provides network supported, generative design based learning and teaching opportunities.

This video has had approximately 610 visits by 447 visitors from 133 unique locations. It has been played 310 times as of 05/2023.
Click to See Activity Worldwide
Map reflects activity with this presentation from the 2019 STEM for All Video Showcase: Innovations in STEM Education website, as well as the STEM For All Multiplex website.
Based on periodically updated Google Analytics data. This is intended to show usage trends but may not capture all activity from every visitor.
show more
Discussion from the 2019 STEM for All Video Showcase (18 posts)
  • Icon for: Brian Drayton

    Brian Drayton

    Researcher
    May 13, 2019 | 08:50 a.m.

    I enjoyed this video, and am intrigued by the work.

     To what extent do students learn about constructing models, as opposed to using models already constructed?  I have a prejudice (that is, an opinion that I don't have a lot of data for) that constructing a model is likely to be needed at some point in order to understand what a model actually is, how one "models." 

     

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Cristián Rizzi
  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 13, 2019 | 10:57 a.m.

    We are very sympathetic to this perspective!  One of the exciting things about GbCC is that we have found ways for it to make "individual" and "extensive" activities (like coding or modeling, or geometric construction) more "conversational," collective, and fluid.  For coding and modeling in particular, it has been successful to establish a shared question or phenomenon as a target (or a RANGE of phenomena or questions), and have students contribute CODE that provides a partial solution/response to the question.  Especially when the response is not right or wrong but explores a space of possibility.

     
    2
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Cristián Rizzi
    Anthony Petrosino
  • Icon for: Edith Graf

    Edith Graf

    Researcher
    May 17, 2019 | 07:21 p.m.

    This is exciting work! Are students also able to engage in the iterative nature of modeling by contributing/refining code?

    A second question: How are students using Geogebra in combination with GbCC?

  • Icon for: Abby Funabiki

    Abby Funabiki

    Facilitator
    Associate Executive Director
    May 13, 2019 | 10:47 a.m.

    Thanks for showing us so many of the GbCC lessons in your video! I can imagine how this adds a whole new element to the classroom! Who is creating the GbCC lesson plans? The research team or the teachers participating? If the former, are they garnering feedback from teachers on aligning content with what they want to teach? If the latter, is there an opportunity for the teachers to share these lessons with other teachers? And regardless, will they become an open resource for other teachers? 

     

  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 13, 2019 | 02:11 p.m.

    At our various sites, we've explored different possibilities here (though not systematically as part of the research questions of the project).  Our work has ranged from design partnerships with teachers; to work with pre-/in-service teachers in degree programs; to student projects that lead to group learning or classroom implementation - and combinations of these.  

    A strong design goal of the project has been to make it EASY to integrate and support group-centered design with the technology.  It's not always easy for people to learn to think in terms of group-centered activities, but when we find a thing that one would want to do that isn't possible, we usually take the time to try to make that thing possible. :)

    We are very curious about what will be needed to SCALE the use and authoring of activities in GbCC and similar systems, and so I'd turn your question around as an invitation for informal or formal collaboration, for anyone who has a desire to create activities of this kind.

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Abby Funabiki
  • Icon for: Cristián Rizzi

    Cristián Rizzi

    May 14, 2019 | 11:20 a.m.

    I take your invitation Corey. In Enlace Ciencias project from the Ministry of Education of Buenos Aires City, we have developed some lesson plans using NetLogo simulation models that we built (one for Dengue outbreak and one for the ecology of guanacos and sheep in Patagonia). We will explore the possibility of bringing these models into GbCC and also bringing some of the existing models & lesson plans into Spanish language, as we have been doing since a couple of years. 

    Congratulations on this initiative!

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Abby Funabiki
  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 14, 2019 | 11:24 a.m.

    Fantastic.  If you would like, I can convert one of your models to use GbCC and document the process, so you can do the second one as a test. (That would help US, because we are trying to ensure that our documentation makes sense to people NOT on the project :))

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Abby Funabiki
  • Icon for: Shelly Rodriguez

    Shelly Rodriguez

    Higher Ed Faculty
    May 13, 2019 | 11:38 a.m.

    I love the interactive and collaborative nature of GBCC. This is a great way to uncover student ideas and get students negotiating their ideas with others. 

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Steven Greenstein
  • Icon for: Jason Harron

    Jason Harron

    Co-Presenter
    Graduate Research Assistant / Ph.D. Candidate
    May 13, 2019 | 04:47 p.m.

    Thank you, Shelly. GbCC expands upon over two decades of researching involving participatory models and simulations. The focus on student-based inquiry provides space for students to experiment and explore while also collaborating with their peers as they engage in meaning-making. We're very excited to see the impact of these tools on student learning!

  • Icon for: Deanna Buckley

    Deanna Buckley

    Researcher
    May 13, 2019 | 01:15 p.m.

    This is amazing!  What an opportunity to develop a community of explorers using technology to extend understanding real time with others.  So much potential!

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Steven Greenstein
  • Icon for: Jason Harron

    Jason Harron

    Co-Presenter
    Graduate Research Assistant / Ph.D. Candidate
    May 13, 2019 | 04:55 p.m.

    Thank you, Deanna! The social elements of learning are key to how GbCC is enacted in the classroom. The ability for students to share and discuss their findings, and interact in participatory simulations provides generative space where both students and teachers can explore and challenge misconceptions. While technology, specifically cloud-computing, is key to this iteration, the social aspects of learning and space for exploration remain at the heart of how agent-based modeling can benefits students in the classroom. We look forward to seeing the potential realized in the classroom as more teachers adopt these research-based teaching practices.

  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 13, 2019 | 02:06 p.m.

    To all - if you are interested in using this system and/or learning to create activities, please reach out to us.  I am speaking for all of the PI team, but my own email is corey.brady@vanderbilt.edu if you are interested.

     
    2
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Jason Harron
    Steven Greenstein
  • Alexandra Eusebi

    Higher Ed Faculty
    May 13, 2019 | 07:14 p.m.

    This could really make learning an abstract concept more meaningful.  There are a lot of potential applications here - across multiple disciplines and grade levels. Very promising!

  • Icon for: Quinn Burke

    Quinn Burke

    Facilitator
    Senior Research Scientist
    May 14, 2019 | 05:48 p.m.

    thanks Corey (and wider team) for this video - as noted in the discussion thread here, part of the challenge of integrating GbCC into classrooms is getting teachers to be more comfortable facilitating meaningful peer-to-peer collaboration (it's difficult - I taught high school for 7 years and never did group well as an instructor).  In my role at Digital Promise, I work with a number of school districts through the League of Innovative Schools - is there a link for the Cooperative Superintendency Program?   

  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 20, 2019 | 11:32 a.m.

    Dear Quinn - Can you clarify your question, about a link for the Cooperative Superintendency Program?  Thank you!  -Corey

  • Icon for: Lisa Miller

    Lisa Miller

    Facilitator
    Teacher
    May 14, 2019 | 11:46 p.m.

    Thank you for sharing your video!  It looks like an exciting project with lots of potential.  Do teachers and students need to have experience with coding before using GbCC? What professional development challenges have you found in preparing teachers to use GbCC?  Thank you in advance for your answers.

     
    1
    Discussion is closed. Upvoting is no longer available

    Jared O'Leary
  • Icon for: Corey Brady

    Corey Brady

    Co-Presenter
    Assistant Professor
    May 20, 2019 | 11:36 a.m.

    Hi - Our research with GbCC builds on research with Agent-Based Modeling using NetLogo and NetLogo Web.  To BUILD models (from scratch), a teacher would need to become familiar with NetLogo.  We have worked with teachers extensively on this and it takes a few days' long workshop.  To MODIFY or USE existing models, is much easier, and we have done this at fairly large scale in a day-or-two-long workshop.   For GbCC, I've been surprised to see that "getting into the code" actually seems MORE inviting, and I am hopeful that workshops with teachers will move from USE to MODIFY to CREATE even MORE often than they have in my NetLogo experience.  But, there is no denying that some support is needed.  In that context, working with a TEAM is a particularly fun and useful configuration.

  • Icon for: Tom Yeh

    Tom Yeh

    Researcher
    May 20, 2019 | 05:17 p.m.

    As I was  browsing your project website and reading about various models, I found your segregation model is particularly intriguing. I wonder whether that model was used in a social study context. This reminds me of the game: https://ncase.me/polygons/. This connection to social science made me see GbCC's generalizability. I would love to explore whether we can develop models to examine a range of ethical issues related to big data and AI, such as modeling the filter bubble phenomenon or biased distribution of resources.

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.