Computational science allows you to experiment with real-world issues in a shorter period of time and to study systems that are hard to study
Computational science lets one work more hands on and find solutions quicker.
I remember doing experiments in science classes as I went through school but I donāt think I ever understood the connection between these experiments and the real world. Even today as a teacher, I try to show a connection between the work we are doing in science class to the real world but I donāt think I always succeed with my students. Using computer modeling would seem to make better connections between the lab and the real world. Although I have limited experience with this, so I donāt have a clear vision of how it would work but after viewing the video, I feel excited about the possibilities.
Good idea. I was thinking of simulations of life science problems and wondering how you would use this in physical science.
Computational science brings a new level of relevance into the middle school classroom.
Computational science simulations could allow students to visualize the concepts in the gas laws, observing how molecules behave when pressure, volume or temperature are changed.
This is great in a chemistry class. Bringing in an abstract concept and making it more or less concrete with computational science.
AWESOME!!! Computational Science should definitely be a course all students take as a prerequisite to graduation!!! There are so many possible experiments that students could conduct that will hit homeā¦ Iām thinking the effects of drugs on their body over time, maybe years; the risks they take daily; how they can make a difference in their community- climate change simulationsā¦ The possibilities could be endless with lots of imagination and a little bit of knowledge!!!
I like the idea of computational science to model real world situations that we canāt easily see/visit in the classroom due to many restraints. I see this as being beneficial in looking at disease spread, management of resources and popuation changes.
During my undergraduate degree we used computers to simulations during labs, one example of using science modeling in a revolutionary way is to model how bacteria grow in response to competition for resources.
When I was in school, current practical applications were not used. It was very much based on reading the textbook and taking tests. It sounds as though computational science brings the science concepts into an innovative light where students play a more active role throughout the learning process. An example of computational science could be the study of patterns in migration of different animals. Students would have a high interest and also could choose different animals to then share with the class which leads to even more learning.
Computational science allows us to look at large scale events (like accumulation of toxins in groundwater supplies) in a way that would not be practical during a laboratory investigation. The results of these simulations would complement the observations that students make while in the lab.
I agree. I think that modeling is a great way to bridge the observations that students make in class with real world phenomena.
The science I learned in school was performed within a very controlled environment with few real life applications. In computational science, students have the ability to examine a situation from many different perspectives that apply to everyday life. They are using critical thinking and problem solving. I would like to use computational science in an energy lab where students are trying to determine how to supply electricity to new developments in our area. They can explore different alternative energy sources and calculate how many houses would benefit from their plans.
I also teach 8th grade and Newtonās Laws. I like your lesson idea. My students would be very engaged with this type of activity. I am also thinking of āstagingā an accident between 2 vehicles and assigning the task of determining which driver was at fault.
Computational science would help my students study the phases of the moon. This is a difficult concept, even for 8th graders. A computer model would help them visualize the scope of the size of the moon, Earth, and sun. It would also help them understand the difference between rotation and revolution, something that they usually get mixed up.
Computational science allows you to study complex systems that may be impossible in the classroom. I would like for my students to see the affects of population growth on the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay.
Back when I was in high school, we actually grew cultures from our own saliva and finger prints and swabs from all the places in school we thought were too gross to touch. It was quite an eye opening experience. I think computational science would be able to provide many more real world examples to my 8th grade students than they could do in the classroom (limited time, safety, etc).
In continuing the study of water and the human effect on the health of the water computational science would allow a student to place an item into the water in Frederick County MD and follow the effect clear to the Chesapeake Bay.
I remember that in Science classes (both high school and college) it was difficult to see the link between what was being taught in lectures with what was being done in labs. (Iāve heard this from lots of other people ā my children, friends, students, etc, so I know Iām not alone here.) I see computational modeling as a way to bridge theory and lab experiences. Students could use a model, then test it in the lab or gather real data, if appropriate. Analysis could be done to see where the model was accurate, where it was off and solutions. This could provide a good stepping off point on discussions regarding reliance on theories vs. experience, etc.