Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

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of variation that distinguish the conceptions. In fact, the use of different assessment items
is advantageous, because they tend to elicit multiple and often inconsistent conceptions
students hold, which, as discussed above, can lead to more accurate diagnosis of student
understanding and thus more effective instructional interventions.
Conclusion
We have demonstrated the application of Variation Theory to the development of a
learning progression for "size and scale". The learning progression resulting from this
approach, with its identification of aspects of variation, not only helps us understand
possible paths that students go through to achieve sophisticated understanding, but also
explains the “threshold” they need to pass in order to move from one level to the next.
More importantly, the aspects of variation allow for easy application of the learning
progression to the development of assessment tools and instructional interventions, an
advantage that typical learning progressions lack. We suggest that this approach may be
useful for developing learning progressions for other foundational concepts in engineering
education. Future research will focus on development of a "size and scale" concept
inventory based on the learning progression described in this paper and development of a
learning progression for "surface area to volume ratio".
References
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Anderson, C. W. (2007). Environmental literacy learning progressions. Paper presented at
the Knowledge Sharing Institute of the Center for Curriculum Studies in Science,
Washington, DC.
Bransford, J. D., & Schwartz, D. L. (1999). Rethinking transfer: A simple proposal with
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Catley, K., Lehrer, R., & Reiser, B. (2004). Tracing a prospective learning progression for
developing understanding of evolution. Paper commissioned by the National
Academy of Sciences Committee on Test Design for K-12 Science Achievement.
Retrieved March 23, 2007, from
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bota/Evolution.pdf
Delgado, C., Stevens, S. Y., Shin, N., & Krajcik, J. (Submitted). Development of a theoretical
and empirically derived learning progression for size and scale.
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011