Modeling Environments

Main Text

Modeling environments are computational tools that support learners in building dynamic or static models that represent phenomena such as plant growth, the solar system, or crowd behavior. In the context of a well-designed curricular activity, the learner creates the model by specifying objects, their characteristics (i.e., variables), and their relationships. Relationships can be specified in different ways depending on the learning environment. Modeling tools such as concept maps or causal loop diagrams allow the learner to specify relationships qualitatively. In concept maps, relationships can be specified by describing the nature of the relationship (e.g., “is a”). In causal loop diagrams, relationships are specified by polarities (i.e., “+” and “−”) and include feedback loops describing how one variable causes a change of another variable, which then causes a change of the original variable. Some modeling environments allow learners to not only specify relationships but...