MoDa: Designing a Tool to Interweave Computational Modeling with Real-world Data Analysis for Science Learning in Middle School

Coordinating modeling and real-world data is central to building scientific theories. This paper examines howa complementary focus on modeling and data contributed to 8th grade students' learning of mechanisms underlying wildfire smoke spread in MoDa, a web-based environment that integrates computational modeling side-byside with real-world data for comparison and validation. Epistemic network analysis of student responses in pre-post tests revealed a shift from primarily macro-level explanations to explanations that integrated macro and micro-level explanations of the phenomenon. Video data analysis revealed three design elements that contributed to student learning: Naming of the blocks, match between data and model visualization, and collective reflections on models. We reflect on implications for the design of environments that integrate computational modeling with real-world data analysis.