LSRI: Drawings as a means to support dynamic modeling activities

Wouter van Joolingen
University of Twente

Dynamic modeling of scientific phenomena is seen as a promising approach to enhance the learning of science. By constructing an external executable representation of a domain, learners are expected to acquire a deeper understanding of the structure of the domain at hand.

Despite its benefits for teaching, modeling is a complex task for most learners. It requires integrating problem information and prior knowledge using a modeling language that is not always familiar.

In this presentation I will explore the possibility to use freehand drawings as a means to support modeling, especially for beginning modelers. Using drawings learners can express their prior knowledge in a way of their choosing, unbound by the formal representation required for modeling. Topics that will be discussed are the analysis of drawings, automatic recognition of drawing elements to support the use of the drawing as initial model, or even to the drawing becoming the model.