Microcontroller Based Water Computer: An Experiment with Tangible System Dynamics Modeling
Pages 35 - 42
Abstract
The goal of designing effective methods to teach systems-thinking concepts has been an important focus within the education community. We propose a novel approach to introduce systems-thinking concepts in informal education environments by the use of a tangible user interface. We have designed an analog water computer based on the System Dynamics modeling framework in order to create a physical machine that exhibits complex system behaviors. Our model specifically facilitates enhanced understanding of differential equations and provides visual feedback of the system in real-time. Our tangible and interactive water computer simulates the behavior of the Lotka-Volterra differential equations model and provides an intuitive visual interface that maps symbolism in mathematical equations to discrete physical components of our machine. In addition, our machine has been designed to provide tangible interaction capabilities so that changes to the physical system will provide learners with a deeper understanding of mathematical relationships that are represented by the machine components. The objective is to narrow the gap which exists between the mathematically abstract and the real physical world, and to encourage exploration and stimulate curiosity as these intangible factors are important to foster learner engagement particularly in informal learning environments.
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- Microcontroller Based Water Computer: An Experiment with Tangible System Dynamics Modeling
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ISBN:9781450335836
DOI:10.1145/2769458
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