Innovative Teaching and Learning in Science:

Simulation and Modelling Through ICT

SOPIA MD YASSIN, PhD

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SULTAN IDRIS UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
 The Lower Six Science
Courseware
• High Quality, Stimulating, Multimedia Package
• Based on the STPM syllabus
• Has gone through the technical quality control of the CDC and the
content quality control of the MEC
• Experienced practicing lower six teachers have been involved in whole
process
• Applies five guiding principles in the application of ICT in science
teaching
– To make the invisible visible (simulation)
– To increase the accuracy and reliability of experiments (modeling)
– Managing data and interpreting graphs and charts (data handling)
– To develop important scientific skills and abilities such as curiosity,
observation, consideration, and evaluation of evidence
– Enabling students to witness dangerous experiments
 The Lower Six Science
Courseware
• Range of features to support teaching and learning
through the medium of English
• Range of interactive approaches adopted
• Flexible
• Adopts a range of ICT strategies to develop
knowledge and understanding
• Easily installed
• Easily navigable
• Content presented in an accessible format
 The components of the
courseware
• Suggested Lessons
- Introduction
- Activities
- Plenary
• Multimedia illustration
• Slide notes
• Voice over
• Interactive mode or Auto play
 The components of the
courseware (cont’d)
• Suggested Lesson plan
- Aims
- Learning Outcomes
- Assumed prior knowledge
- Underlying principles
- Time to complete activity
- Differentiation
- Development of Lesson
- Worksheet answers
• Suggested Worksheet
• Extension
• Glossary
• Help
 How does the courseware support the
teaching and learning of science
through the medium of English?
• Explanatory Text
• Voice over
• Multimedia illustration
• Auto play
• Step by step advancement through pages, activities and plenary
• Interaction
• Lesson plan
• Glossary
• English medium worksheet
 Simulation through ICT

Simulation is the exploration of existing models (Bliss et al.

1992)

ICT can uniquely illustrate scientific concepts with the use

of high quality multi media simulation enabling students
to
– interact
– reflect
– develop their knowledge and understanding

By providing a concrete visual experience of the abstract,

investigate life processes which are far too lengthy,
study complex interactions, simulate manufacturing
processes, difficult, dangerous or costly experiments.
 The secret of success
The key to a successful simulation learning experience is through
• Appropriate intervention
• Through questioning
• The emphasis of key observable points
• Constant evaluation of the development of understanding by the
students
These are reflected in the design of the courseware
 Modelling through ICT

Modelling is the expression of one's ideas by constructing one's

own models (Bliss et al. 1992)

Modelling conjures up many different pictures in science

teaching and learning, for example
• A three-dimensional diagram of a water molecule
• Atomic models made from coloured spheres etc.
• Plastic “pull-apart” models of the human eye, ear, torso etc.

Modelling using ICT enables students to explore the effects of

changing data and relationships of physical systems, thus
helping students to understand the phenomena involved
 The secret of success
The key to a successful ICT modelling learning experience is through
• Interaction
• Manipulation
• Immediate graphic presentation of data
• Appropriate intervention
• Through questioning
• The emphasis and explanation of key observable points
• Constant evaluation of the development of understanding by the students
These are reflected in the design of the courseware
 Contributions of simulations and modelling

• develop new strategies for solving problems building models by

creating new rules (Boohan 1994)
• complete tasks of greater cognitive complexity (Wideman and
Owston 1988)
• test personal hypotheses by making predictions (Linn and Songer
1993)
• develop higher order thinking skills (Cathcart 1990)
• engage in complex causal reasoning (Mellar 1994)
• approach system thinking in a way that is manageable even from a
fairly young age (Bliss 1994)
• use more exploratory language to arrive at choices through
discussion (Wild and Braid 1996)
Activity : Planning and preparing for teaching
and learning using the simulation or modelling
application of the courseware

Work in groups of three teachers of the same subject specialism on this

activity

Plan to use the lesson by going through the following process

• Look at the content of the lesson and how it relates to the syllabus
• Review the activity by using the auto play
• Go through the activity click by click using the interactive mode,
carrying out all the interactions
Activity : Planning and preparing for teaching
and learning using the simulation or modelling
application of the courseware (cont’d)

Think about the following

• How would you use the activity with your students?
• Would you use the voice over?
• Would you use the auto play? Ι f not, how would you use the
explanatory text?
• What points would you emphasise?
• What additional explanations would you give?
• What questions would you ask the students?
• How would you introduce and summarise the activities?