Using Online Simulations in STEM Classes Christopher Lundberg, Ph.D. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Using Online Simulations in STEM Classes Christopher Lundberg, Ph.D.

• St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Popular Science The Telegraph

 National Math & Science Initiative, 2013

• By 4th grade, one-third of students lose interest in

science.

• By 8th grade, one-half of students lose interest.
• By 12th grade, 60% of students who like STEM

classes as freshmen have changed their minds.

Data from Huneycutt, 2013

White House, 2012

PASSIVE LEARNING ACTIVE LEARNING

“For science to be taught properly and effectively, labs must be an integral part of the science curriculum.” National Science Teachers Association, 2006 “Hands-on laboratory science experiences are critical to the learning process across all areas

• f study, beginning with

kindergarten and continuing through post-secondary education.” American Chemical Society, 2014 “Meaningful learning will occur where laboratory activities are a well-integrated part of a learning sequence.” American Association of Physics Teachers, 1992

 Well-designed labs may

provide:

• Reinforcement of science

content and information

• Development of scientific

reasoning

• Insight into the scientific

process

• Increased interest in

science

• Improved teamwork skills

 Online simulations

should not be considered equal alternatives to inquiry- driven labs.

 Instead, they could be

an effective supplement to labs and lectures.



Online simulations can help students:

1.

Understand concepts across multiple representations.

2.

Construct mental models of biological, chemical, and physical systems.

3.

Participate in active learning at own pace.

4.

Understand equations as physical relationships among measurements.

5.

Collaborate to accomplish a goal.

6.

Investigate phenomenon that would be impossible

• r impractical to observe in a classroom or lab.

Gende, 2011

 Online simulations

may be useful as:

• Complement to lecture
• Interactive

demonstration

• Homework assignment
• Pre-lab assignment
• Make-up lab assignment

 Complement to lecture material

• Helps to visualize abstract concepts

Neuron Lab https://phet.color ado.edu/en/simul ation/neuron

 Interactive demonstration

• Student prediction and observation

pH Sim https://phet.colora do.edu/en/simulati

• n/ph-scale

 Homework/classwork assignment

• In lieu of traditional problems

Pepper Moth Sim https://askabiolo gist.asu.edu/sites /default/files/Pep perMoth/pepper- moths.swf

 Pre-lab assignments

• Introduce new procedures

Titration Sim http://www.mhh e.com/physsci/c hemistry/animat ions/chang_7e_ esp/crm3s5_5.s wf

 Virtual labs

• When a traditional lab is not possible

Beta Decay Lab https://phet.col

• rado.edu/en/si

mulation/legacy /beta-decay

 Simulation goals are clearly communicated.  Perform a trial run of full procedure.  Have students predict and explain their

expected outcome.

 Avoid giving detailed, step-by-step instructions.  Provide open-inquiry or guided-inquiry

assignments.

 Have students reflect on and discuss the results

• f the simulation.

 Incorporate learning objectives into post-

simulation discussion.

 Hardware: desktop, laptop, tablet  Internet connection  Browser: Explorer, Safari, Chrome, Firefox  Software: Flash, Java

 ASU’s Ask a Biologist Sims

• https://askabiologist.asu.edu/games-and-simulations

 HHMI BioInteractive Virtual Labs

• http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/explore-virtual-

labs

 McGraw’s Biology Virtual Labs

• http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073031208/s

tudent_view0/virtual_labs.html

 Pearson’s Lab Bench

• http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labb

ench/index.html

 ChemCollective

• http://chemcollective.org/activities/type_page/1

 Concord Consortium’s Molecular Workbench

• http://mw.concord.org/modeler/

 MERLOT List of Sims (w/ Peer Reviews)

• https://www.merlot.org/merlot/materials.htm

 PhET Chemistry Simulations

• https://phet.colorado.edu/

 CK-12 Exploration Series

• http://www.ck12.org/student/

 My Physics Lab

• http://www.myphysicslab.com/

 PhET Physics Simulations

• https://phet.colorado.edu/

 The Physics Classroom’s Interactives

• http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-

Interactives



Gende, D. (2011, April 1). Science Simulations: A Virtual Learning Environment. Retrieved from http://plpnetwork.com/2011/04/01/science-simulations-a-real- way-to-learn/



Huneycutt, T. (2013 December 13). Starting STEM Early: The Need for Vertical

• Alignment. Retrieved from

http://www.nms.org/Blog/TabId/58/PostId/212/starting-stem-early-the-need-for- vertical-alignment.aspx



Science Education Resource Center. (2016) Teaching with Simulations, Pedagogy in Action. Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/simulations/index.html



Waldrop, M.M. (2015). Why we are teaching science wrong, and how to make it

• right. Nature, 523, 272-274. doi: 10.1038/523272a



White House (2012). President's Council of Advisors on Science and

• Technology. Engage to excel: producing one million additional college graduates

with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.