Systems for Systems: Computational Systems Modeling to Promote Equity and Access in K12 STEM Educational Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Scientists create computational models or simulations in order to understand complex scientific phenomena, explore questions, and increase the rate of innovation and discovery. In K12 education, learning to use, modify, create, and analyze models of scientific systems promotes an epistemological understanding of science where students can explore mechanisms and patterns, and evaluate evidence from their models to construct disciplinary knowledge. 

Over the last several decades, education and learning sciences researchers have worked to develop both professional development programs and curriculum to support the use of such computational systems models in classrooms. Alongside this research, there have been calls to determine the variables in educational systems that will enable optimal implementation for the successful learning of all students. McKenney (2018)^* writes, 

We need research that can help us design for implementation in the here and now. This includes putting the investigation of what works, for whom, under which conditions into a broader perspective to help us…attend to the highly varied needs of teachers and learners in diverse settings. (p. 2)

In this Special Issue, we aim to illustrate innovative research programs that focus on the implementation of computational systems modeling tools for K12 science teachers and students. Two central goals motivate the articles in this issue. The first is to highlight the learning challenges of specific educational populations for which the modeling of scientific systems, (through its affordances of interactivity, visualizations, dynamic emergent properties, and access to hidden systems features like feedback, self-organization, and levels of interaction and interdependence), can support learning. The second is to identify and investigate the variables of equity and access in educational systems that support or impede participation with specific educational populations that use computational systems modeling tools for learning. 

Submissions may focus on either of the two goals or both of the goals simultaneously. However, the research should discuss issues for learners (and the teachers of those learners) who have historically been left out of mainstream research on computational systems modeling. These goals constitute an important subset of interests that add to the discourse on “what works, for whom, under what conditions” (McKenney, 2018). Topics of submissions may include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Systems science curricula for elementary students;
• Supports for English language learners;
• High-quality and usable professional development for geographically isolated teachers
• Systems models to support data literacy with young students
• Developing teacher’s communities of practice for systems learning and instruction

Prof. Dr. Susan Yoon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Modeling scientific systems
• Marginalized learners of science
• K12 educational systems
• Computational systems modeling tools