southampton, seminar june 2013

Supporting model-based reasoning using drawings and

simulationWouter van JoolingenUniversity of Twente

•Science is both experimental and theoretical.

•For learning science one should DO science

•Science is in the process as much as it is in the product

View on science learning

Number of people in this room

Time from start

People coming in

People going out

Fame of speaker

Quality of presentation

Quality of Weather

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-+-

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Models

Number of people in this room

Time of day

People coming in

People going out

Fame of speaker

Quality of presentation

Quality of Weather

+

-

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•Creating a model of a system that is:

• Explicit and external

• A reasoning tool

• Executable

•How does this fit in the learning process of scientific inquiry?

Modeling !?

•Modeling is a scientific activity

• Learn about science and its nature

•Models to make sense of the world

•Modeling is learning activity

•Understanding complex systems

•Understand scientific content

• Facilitate reasoning processes

Why?

Model-based reasoning

(Nersessian, Giere)

•Inquiry and discovery rely on the construction of models

•Visual and analogical modelling

•Mental simulations

•Requires creative and constructive activities

modelling takes many forms

KekuléBuilding structure for BenzeneProblem with the bonds & spatial structureIt came in a dream

Kekule

•Using visual/spatial representations

•With well defined constraints

•Valence

•External properties of benzene

Constructing models

• Adding/changing/removing elements

• Check interactions

• Check internal consistency

• Check correspondence

• Do we still predict what we already could?

• Validation

• Check by new experiments or observation

• Mental simulation

Mental simulation

Mental simulation•Reason through the properties of

the model

•Using time, structures and properties

•Realise implications and limitations of the model

Inquiry and modeling

•Inquiry is model-based

•Experiments are not the only source of evidence

•Construction

•Mental simulation

Drawing-based modelling

Drawing with a plus and with constraintsDrawing model elementsIdentify objectsSpecify behaviourSimulate and revise

Research program

•What information can we extract from drawings?

•Drawing software to model, how does that work?

Understanding drawings

With Wout Kenbeek

How to interpret

Working method•Score

•Objects

•Processes

•Annotations

•Finding patterns

•Factor analysis

•Interpretation

67 drawings on heat and radiation

9th grade students

based on given text

Scores

Result

Interpretation•Patterns?

•Meaning?

•=> Factor Analysis

•http://content.vanjoolingen.nl/drawings/drawings.html

Conclusion

•Making sense of drawings is possible

•Reveals internal models of students

•Caution should be taken

•Drawing as a first step to modeling

Supporting Construction

Draw elements

Identify

Associate

behavior

Supporting mental simulation

•Use animation and computer simulation as augmentation for mental simulation

•Providing support for “untraceable” situations.

Mars retrograde movement

Explain like this or ..

Changing perspective

QuickTime™ en eenH.264-decompressor

zijn vereist om deze afbeelding weer te geven.

Emergence

•Phenomena may become untraceable when there are many objects.

•New phenomena may emerge from the collective interactions

Traffic jams

QuickTime™ en een-decompressor

zijn vereist om deze afbeelding weer te geven.

An experimental study among children in the SimSketch learning environment

with Annika Aukes, & Hannie Gijlers

The Use of a Drawing-based Simulation for Modeling the Solar System

Participants

• 288 participants recruited in Science Center NEMO

• 39 omitted from data analysis

• total of 249 participants

• 128 girls and 121 boys

• 7 to 18 year old children

Method

The Use of a Drawing-based Simulation for Modeling the Solar System 31

• Domain knowledge test

• Pre- and posttest design

• Modeling assignment

• First task: Draw Solar System (Sun, Earth, Moon, one other planet)

• Second task: Draw Solar Eclipse

• Feedback

• Motivational items (Likert scale)

• Software attitude (Semantic differential)

Method

Elements drawnn=235

N Max. score Mean (SD)

Score Total Model 235 14 7.25 (3.317)

Score Solar

System

235 9 5.38 (2.303)

Score Solar Eclipse 235 5 1.87 (1.447)

Results

Total Model:

Differences between 7-9 years (M=6.72) and >12 years (M=8.21)

Differences between 10-11 years (M= 6.93) and >12 years (M=8.21)

Solar Eclipse:

Differences between 7-9 years (M=1.67) and >12 years (M=2.31)

Differences between 10-11 years (M=1.69) and >12 years (M=2.31)

Children >12 years scored better on their solar eclipse and their total model

Results

Pre-post differences

Knowledge acquisition

• Pre- & posttest differed significantly

• The knowledge concerning the solar system was higher in the posttest.

• Greatest differences in 7-9 years and girls

Partial correlation:

• The score of modeling had a moderated correlation with the posttest (r (222) = .286, p = .005) after correction for pretest

Results

•Motivation

•Perceived competence:

• Difference between 7-9 years (M= 3.05) and >12 years (M= 2.71)

•Valuing:

• No significant differences

•Attitude software:

• Generally positive rates (M=3.23)

• For 85% it was the first time working with SimSketch

• For 72% rated SimSketch as a valuable program

Results

• Drawing static elements is easier than displaying dynamic processes

• Older children (>12 years) are better in modeling

• Knowledge acquisition is higher in young children (7-9 years) and girls

• However, ceiling effect in older children

• Model score relates to knowledge acquisition

• Young children have a higher perceived competence

• Tendency that young children have higher valuing

Conclusion & discussion

Overall conclusion•Drawing-based modeling

• Accessible to young kids

• Based on interpretation of drawings

•Work to do!

• Integration

• Extending the tools

• Studies into processes and effects of modelling

Open Questions•How to measure modelling

performance?

•Result and/or process

•Lasting results of modelling with SimSketch?

•E.g. visual reasoning,

•How to integrate inquiry/modelling in the science curriculum?

Thank you

w.r.vanjoolingen@utwente.nl

@woutervj

modeldrawing.eu