Storyboard on

Computer Simulation

sakondra.moore@waldenu.edu

December 29, 2010

PhD in EducationSpecialization: Educational Technology

Educ 7101-2Diffusion and Integration of Technology in Education

COMPUTER SIMULATION

Commercialization

Development

Research

Need

Introduction

What is Computer Simulation?

Computer Simulation is a computer model, or a computational model that is a computer program, or network of computers, that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system. Computer simulations have become a useful part of mathematical modeling of many natural systems in physics, astrophysics, chemistry and biology, human systems in economics, psychology, social science, and engineering. (Wikipedia, 2010)

The Need/Problem

Computer simulators provide hands-on experiments and allowing students the opportunity to observe, manipulate, and investigate phenomena that are normally inaccessible

Reduce barriers for media in the classroom

Alternative learning

Provide models for skill learning

Increase content knowledge

Games

Research

It all began in the 1960s with Ivan Sutherland of Stanford University experimented with computer graphics and wrote a software program called SketchPad while working toward his doctoral degree making his computer manipulate engineering drawings.

Virtual Reality environments:

(1) Total immersion(2) Partial immersion(3) Augmented reality(4) Desktop

Development

Commercialization

Some of the key business and commercial fields that have deployed virtual reality technology include:

Aviation Engineering Medicine LawGeneral

management functions

Innovation-Decision Process

Knowledge

Persuasion

Decision

Implementation

Confirmation

Knowledge

CreationFirst ImpressionExploration

Persuasion

Early adoptionGameware/SoftwareImplementation in the classroom

Games

Educational games today are designed to teach both standard-based and 21st century skills.

Kids love to be creative with digital images , podcasting, etc.

Enhancing Student Performance

Students learn best by hands-on experiments.

Students have different learning styles and levels.

Students are explorative!

Decision

Trial software packages online and classroom

Instructor practitioners

Interviews with vendors and institutions

Literacy

Virtual classroom for all grade levelsScience classes- modelsBusiness classes

K-12 Implementation

Communication Channel

Multi-media

S-curve Adoption

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.50%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Adopters

Series 1

Promoting Computer Simulation in Education

• Instructors are the most influential adopters for this innovation.

References

Reference for Business Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. (2010). VIRTUAL REALITY COMPUTER SIMULATION. Copyright © 2010 Advameg, Inc. Retrieved from:

http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Val-Z/Virtual-Reality-Computer-Simulation.html

 

 

Sierra-Fernandez, J. L., & Perales-Palacios, F. J. (2003). The effect of instruction with computer simulation as a research tool on open-ended problem-solving in a Spanish classroom of 16-year-olds. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 22(2), 119-140.

Educational Broadcasting Corporation. (2008) Games Central. Retrieved from: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/liquidvolume/

 Strangman, N., & Hall, T. (2003). Virtual reality/simulations. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved [December 19, 2010] from http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/virtual_simula

 

 Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. (2010). Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_simulation. December 19, 2010.

 

 

Woodward, J., Carnine, D., & Gersten, R. A. O. (1988). Teaching problem solving through computer simulation. American Educational Research Journal, 25(1), 72-86.