Model Building as a Platform to Support Thinking in Problem Solving

  • Authors:

  • Chwee Beng Lee;Ioan Gelu Ionas;Matthew Schmidt

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, cblwt6@mizzou.edu;University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, cblwt6@mizzou.edu;University of Missouri-Columbia, USA, cblwt6@mizzou.edu

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2005 conference on Towards Sustainable and Scalable Educational Innovations Informed by the Learning Sciences: Sharing Good Practices of Research, Experimentation and Innovation
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

Problem solving not only plays a central role in education [19] but is also the most important cognitive process in our everyday life. The authors of this paper argue that problem solving must be embedded in authentic learning contexts and supported by activities that seek to enable problem solvers to externalize their mental model in the most meaningful and engaging manner that will eventually lead them to the construction of a more sophisticated conceptual framework. One such way is through system dynamics modeling activities. To provide a sound argument for the use of system dynamics models in learning, we present three models that support thinking in problem solving.