Scaffolding Visual Representation in Modeling Practices for University Science Instructors

This study explores how undergraduate preservice elementary teacher students engage with visual representation tools while developing explanatory models in a science course heavily focused on the practice of scientific modeling. Framed within sociocultural theory, the research emphasizes that learning is mediated through social interactions and cultural tools, including visual representations. Through analysis of models produced by students in a two-semester science content course, the study found that students often defaulted to familiar but less effective methods, such as text-heavy explanations, when creating models. However, students also incorporated more complex visual tools like arrows, zoom-in windows, and cut-aways to some extent. These tools helped students better capture the relationships, processes, and scales relevant to the scientific phenomena they were modeling. The findings underscore the importance of scaffolding as a way to support students in mastering the use of culturally significant visual tools for scientific modeling. The study concludes with implications for science educators, suggesting that integrating structured scaffolding into university-level science courses can help students internalize the use of visual tools, thereby enhancing their ability to construct and communicate scientific understanding.