Jimoyiannis A. (2008). Computer simulations and scientific knowledge construction (original) (raw)

The Impact of Computer Simulations on the Teaching and Learning of

2012

The following terminology has been used in this study and is presented alphabetically: Computer Simulation: The computer-generated virtual reality of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted within a seemingly real or physical way by using special electronic equipment. Computer: Electronic machine, operated under the control of instructions stored in its own memory that can accept data (input), manipulate data according to specified rules (process), produce results (output) and store the results for future use. Curriculum Implementer/ subject facilitator: Refers to the South African Department of Education official who supervises in our case the Physical Science programme of study and helps the teachers to understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve the objectives. Curriculum: A combination of the learning outcomes, pedagogy, and content that students are to address. Dinaledi Schools: Schools identified by the South African Department of Education countrywide to excel in Mathematics and Science. These schools are supported by the department and the private sector to increase the number of learners passing high-level Mathematics and Science in Grade 12 and to encourage successful matriculants to pursue further studies in technical disciplines like engineering in tertiary institutions. Experience: Is defined in terms of a teachers' number of years of teaching. That is the number of years the teacher has taught Physical Science in a secondary school. ICT (Information & Communications Technology): Refers generally to computer technologies which include other technologies used for the collection, storage, manipulation and communication of information.

Integrating Information Technology and Science Education for the Future: A Theoretical Review on the Educational Use of Interactive Simulations

2015

Information technologies offer potentially powerful new environments for communicating ideas in science education. This paper critically surveys the research literature to explore ways in which secondary school teachers are using interactive simulations to enhance their students' scientific literacy and enable their students to meet science learning goals. The Australian National Curriculum for Science notes that: "Digital aids such as animations and simulations provide opportunities to test predictions that cannot be investigated through practical experiments in the classroom and may enhance students' understanding and engagement with science." Interactive simulations as 'exploratory' applications will be integrated with science education in this paper. The relationship between interactive simulation and science education will be discussed followed by introduction. And then, cognitive theory and related assumptions will be presented as theoretical 'lenses' as well as design principles which support the applications of interactive simulations in educational instructions. After critical analysis of the related studies focused on science education with information technology tools, this paper concludes with a brief discussion of future research directions in the field.

Computer Simulation in Teaching Science 7

Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2024

This study investigated the effectiveness of computer simulations in teaching Science 7. It Specifically answers the following questions: 1. How may the performance in the pre-test scores of the learners in the experimental and control groups be described; 2. How may the performance in the post-test scores of the learners in the experimental and control groups be described; 3. Is there a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the learners in the experimental group; 4. Is there a significant difference between the post-test scores of the learners in the experimental and control groups; and 5. What are the implications of the study to science education? The subjects of the study were eighty (80) randomly selected Grade 7 students of the Don Ramon E. Costales Memorial National High School, which were classified into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. This study employed the Experimental Design with the Pretest-Posttest Control group. Results of the study showed a significant difference in the pretest and post-test scores of the learners in the experimental group (t=-24.086, ρ=.000). These results indicate that the PhET Simulation method is effective in teaching topics in electricity. There was also a significant difference in the post-test scores of the learners in the experimental and control groups. Further, when the difference in the mean gain scores of the control group (13.9750) and the experimental group (25.6500) were compared using t-test, the tvalue obtained is 7.449 while the ρ-value is. 000.Since ρ<.05, then the difference is significant. This means that in terms of gained knowledge in electricity, there is greater learning achieved by the experimental group, which was exposed to the computer simulation method, than by the control group, which was exposed to the traditional method. Thus, the Computer simulation method is more effective in teaching Electricity than the traditional method based on their mean gain scores which showed significant difference.

Modeling and Simulation in an Educational Context: Teaching and Learning Sciences

Research in Social Sciences and Technology

In science education, there is a need to evaluate the behavior of dynamic systems. Representing and explaining processes through educational models or simulations enables students to perform activities where it is easier to understand these processes and discover the essential properties of a system. Performing modeling or simulation activities that promote interpretation and understanding of systems are learning activities in which students have the ability to create and test their own perceptions of a given phenomenon. Although such activities enhance the development of skills such as reflection, decision making, creativity and generalization, the use of these activities in educational contexts is very sporadic. The difficulties teachers experience in using this type of activity relate to the types of models that are usually used to represent a system, the specificities needed to represent them, the degree of complexity of modeling and simulation tools to do so, and the lack of pr...

A study of educational simulations Part II–Interface Design

Journal of Interactive …, 2008

Interactive computer simulations with complex representations and sophisticated graphics are a relatively new addition to the classroom, and research in this area is limited. We have conducted over 200 individual student interviews during which the students described what they were thinking as they interacted with simulations. These interviews were conducted as part of the research and design of simulations for the Physics Education Technology (PhET) project. PhET is an ongoing project that has developed over 60 simulations for use in teaching physics, chemistry, and physical science. These interviews are a rich source of information about how students interact with computer simulations and what makes an educationally effective simulation. The interviews demonstrate that the simulation must function intuitively or the student's attention is focused on how to use the simulation rather than on the topic presented. Here we provide guidelines for intuitive interface design developed by this research. These cover layout, tool use, help and representations that we use to create a simulation. We give examples from interviews which demonstrate the effectiveness of each guideline for engaging students in educationally productive interactions.

Preliminary survey of educational simulations towards educational context

2016

In accordance with the rapid technological emergence, new educational methods have been implemented such as simulations, educational games (serious game), virtual reality, intelligent tutoring systems, flipped and blended learning, telepresence, cloud computing and so forth. These new era of learning tools are most beneficial to educational process especially in teaching and learning process, class management, teaching practice, personal and specific skills development, administration and others. Educational simulations are one of the most debatable, yet still have brought major impacts towards educational field.The main objective is to study on the implementation of mostly applied educational simulations specifically in higher education and teaching practice.The considerations are on the characteristics, strengths and drawbacks along with special features of each. Findings indicate that educational simulations are worth to be integrated; leading to positive effect on motivation, ea...

Simulation as an education tool

Western-style scientific methods put a lot of emphasis on the comprehension and theoretical explanation of phenomena, that is, on the accurate modelling of factors that govern system operations. There are a great number of phenomena which are difficult even for well-equipped specialists to observe directly. Our paper, on the one hand, will present the role of informatics in these fields; on the other hand, we will offer a possible methodological structure that can be used both in the classes of informatics (programming) and in the education of the specific field.

Use of interactive computer simulations in the teaching of physical science

2011

The use of interactive computer simulations in improving the teaching and learning of physical science is considered. The importance of interactive computer simulations is the ease of being recycled and hence its sustainability. It can be reworked, retried and used by the learners. The simulations are simple computer programmes that are able to move or represent difficult concepts, ideas or representations. The research in this case was to compare Interactive Computer Simulations with the traditional talk and chalk. The background to this research is the difficult faced by learners in doing experiments in school using traditional equipment. An alternative is looked at in this research – the use of interactive computer simulations. Use of these simulations could be easier for the educators and learners. The experimental design is quasi-experimental, using intact non equivalent group design. The research design is a switching replications design whereby the treatment and control group...

Simulation Models in Education

INFuture2007 - Digital Information and Heritage, 2007

This paper introduces the use of simulation models in an e-learning environment. Nowadays, simulation models are a part of computer-assisted learning and thus an important guide for lifelong education. E-learning systems, combined with the use of simulation models as tool for interactivity, are the best way to provide some kind of virtual reality in education. Important techniques for building a usable simulation model are also presented. A good model has to be accompanied by texts, demonstration material, worksheets, teachers' guides, student manuals, as well as tools for the teacher in order to be able to make changes in the computer simulation program, like a text-editor, a graphic editor as well as a resource editor. In addition, the paper describes why it is important to follow the building scheme and discusses the problem of credibility. Then, these models are explained as a method of learning dependent on and independent from the use of computers and a view of its valuable aspects is shown. After presenting various examples from the primary and secondary schools to the university and in lifelong learning, examples of their use in information sciences have been presented, as well as need to include the course of building simulation model in the curriculum.