Computational Science: Middle Schoolers, Real World Problems, and Visualization

NECC 25 June 2007 and

STI July 2007

Celia EinhornBetsy Frederick

Supercomputing Challenge http://challenge.nm.org

Growing Up Thinking Scientifically – Project GUTShttp://projectguts.org

Santa Fe Institute http://santafe.edu

MIT http://education.mit.edu/pda

betsyfrederick@gmail.comcelia@pobox.com

By the way, what is a complex system?

Here’s an example. Say you are studying traffic congestion, you could view it as a fluid dynamics problem and use mathematical equations to understand the underlying physics, or you could look at it as a “complex system” composed of individual agents, cars in this case, that react to other cars and to their environment.

Complex systems exhibit two properties: 1) the system is composed of individual interacting agents

and2) the system exhibits emergent properties, that is, properties

arising from the interaction of agents that can not be deduced simply by aggregating the properties of the individual agents.

NETS Standards Addressed: grades 6-8 and 9-12

Emphasis on Collaboration and Simulations

• Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations to support learning and research. (3,5)• Apply productivity tools... to support group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum. (3,6)• Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum related problems.... (4,5)• Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems. (5,6)• Select and apply technology tools for research, information analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making in content learning. (4,5)• Investigate and apply expert systems, intelligent agents, and simulations in real-world situations. (3,5,6)• Collaborate with peers, experts, and others to contribute to a content- related knowledge base by using technology to compile, synthesize, produce, and disseminate information, models, and other creative works. (4,5,6)

Building STEM Skills and Confidence• Unify Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics through Complex Systems thinking • Model “real” scientific practice through simulated

systems• Employ technology in the development of strategies

for solving problems in the real world• Develop positive attitudes toward technology uses

Participatory Simulations

• Students become the “agents” in computer-mediated simulations of complex systems

• Provide rich learning experiences where technology and social interaction are key

• Use relatively simple and cheap technologies (Palms<$100) and Infrared peer-to-peer communication

• Games include topics in economics, ecology, behaviour, mathematics, health sciences and the science of networks.

Participatory Simulations

Live Long and Prosper Game Instructions

Playing the Game

Players in this game are told to live as long as possible and reproduce. Your ability to survive and reproduce is influenced by your genome so figuring out what the genes stand for is critical in survival. When the game starts you'll see that you have a sequence of five genes (by default). Each of the genes stands for a trait. The shading of the genes (solid, striped and clear) somehow stands for homozygous recessive, homozygous dominant and heterozygous at that position. Your current age (which will constantly increase), generation, and total score are also displayed.

Networks as complex systems

Networking is used more and more to study complex topics across broad areas of interest.

What is a network? What are some characteristics of networks?

We are familiar with The Network.

Examples of networks…Food Chain

Examples of Networks …. ATT Network

Some examples of networks…Red, Blue Sales

Some examples of networks…Les Miserables

Some examples of networks…Relationships

Some examples of networks…..??