3/9 Joey: Computational Modeling Teaching and Testing

I thought diSessa brought up a really great point about student ownership and engagement.  Often, scientific subjects are very textbook heavy and impersonal.  The opportunity to take control and own your model seems like a great way to encourage motivation and involvement.  Since you cannot change what a textbook says or alter a figure to adapt for changing factors the text leaves out,  computational modeling leaves room for creative opportunities to explore subjects in a powerful way.  I was interested in when diSessa was talking about the boxer course and he said, “I want to emphasize that it was not uncommon to change a microworld the day before it was used.  We were forced into it because we were developing the course of the fly” (Pg. 52-53).  He then goes on to highlight how computational medium should be viewed as an adaptable toolkit rather than a turnkey course.  I understand that cultures, communities, and individuals own and personalize many things, but I wonder if he ever felt unprepared.  There is an old quote that I have heard many times by coaches and friends (Davio), “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”  How much of a course should we as educators have planned and prepared, and how much of a course should be done “on the fly”?”

One of the benefits of the NetLogo models is the ability to create and analyze graphs.  Specifically, in the TCAP Grade 8 Set 1 science questions, the 7^th questions asks students to extrapolate what happened to the rabbit population between 1987-1988 based on the graph of rabbit population growth.  By changing potential variables like food, competition, predator population, and or disease in the NetLogo model, students can look at the differences in graphs and what each variable does to the population.  This exercise in the predator prey model could have helped students get this question right on the test.  There seemed to also be many diagrams/graphs/figures/representations in the tests (EOC Biodiversity and Change, and TCAP).  I think modeling and seeing, revising, discussing, and understanding different types of models can also help develop these skills in students before they take these tests.  Computational modeling can definitely be used to help students explore some of the concepts seen in the tests. (One could create northern and southern blue mussels and Asian Shore vs. Green crabs, other predator prey models, form and function models, ecosystems, ect.).