1. SimCalc Mathworlds
umassd.edu
Educational Software Review
Tanya Flores
Beyond Bits and Atoms
Spring 2010

2. Learning Problem?
Students are not being exposed to important everyday concepts of rate
of change, limits, accumulation, approximations until Calculus courses.
★90% of students never take Calculus

3. Approach?
+
(Multiple) Computer Platform Graphing Calculator

4. Approach? (cont’d)
Multiple Representations
Animations
Modeling
Simulation
Curriculum
Microworld

5. Demo

7. Evaluation
User Experience Students observe a simulation and can change some exposed parameters.
Curriculum Navigation Students can freely choose which models to explore and how to explore them.
Approximate visual validation, either through the model’s visualization windows or
Data Validation plots of aggregate results.
Transparency of the code e code and the rules of the simulation are not accessible for users.
Data Collection Data collection is automated; modelers design their own batches of experiments.
Participatory Interactions Users do not engage in participatory interactions
Graphical visualization with intermediate graphics: geometric, freeform shapes, simple
Graphical realism effects.
Visualization Dimensions Bi-dimensional visualization - 2d
Modeling Methodology Modelers choose one phenomena and try to create a model of it.

8. Salient Learning Less Salient
Varying rate
★ Application of number ★ Limits
theory concepts ★ Comparing / Interpreting
★ Families of Linear Functions Quadratic Motion
★ Describe relationships ★ Piecewise Functions
between two variables

9. Potential Drawbacks
• Cannot manipulate code or create your own parameters
• Non-intuitive placement of UI elements
• Buggy - windows stick, application crashes (Demo version only?)
• Lack of transitioning from platforms