Visual Modeling: A New Experimental Science

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Computer modeling is becoming a standard tool for experiment and theory. It is being used to study extremely complex processes, ranging in scale from the inner structure of the proton to star duster formation and decay. It can be an illuminating source of creative insights about the structure and behavior of complex phenomena that were previously inaccessible. It is expected to provide dramatic breakthroughs in physics, chemistry, genetics, meteorology, demography, and other fields. Modeling can be made accessible and comprehensible to high school students through the use of powerful new kinds of modeling tools that combine visual representations of process structure and behavior with effective support for student control of process interactions. The major goal of this project is the development of such tools and an evaluation of their effectiveness of fostering scientific insight and understanding. The different types of models and the varied uses of modeling in research will be described first, to help define the most compelling opportunities for educational interventions. The uses and expressive power of different forms of representation will be investigated and the key cognitive issues that arise in the use of modeling will be identified. The various modeling tools that are currently available will be analyzed to identify their scope of effective applications and to determine the need for new tools. A modeling laboratory comprised of a coherent set of tools for use in the science curriculum will then be developed, together with preliminary curriculum materials for a set of initial applications. A formative evaluation of the tools and materials will be conducted with a select group of students.