![]() ![]() ![]() In the second article, we will share how PhET is working to increase the accessibility of PhET sims worldwide, including the unique challenges and opportunities presented by highly interactive digital learning tools. In this article, we introduce PhET sims, describe features found in all PhET sims that support student engagement, and provide examples of how the sims can be used by teachers. The PhET project impacts classrooms around the world with over 100 million sim runs per year, with sims available in 86 languages. This suite consists of over 150 interactive sims on topics in physics, chemistry, mathematics, earth science, and biology for students from elementary school to college. Finally, the intellectual merit of the project is its significant contributions to understanding when, how, and why interactive simulations can be effective learning and research tools.The PhET Interactive Simulations project () at the University of Colorado Boulder develops a popular suite of free simulations (sims) for teaching and learning science and mathematics. The project is expected to impact many, many thousands of teachers and students through its production of a suite of 35 free, interactive science simulations optimized for Grades 4-8 along with “activity templates”, guidance, and real time feedback to teachers to support pedagogically effective integration into classrooms. This project is working to transform the way science is taught and learned in Grades 4-8 so that it is more effective at promoting scientific thinking and content learning, while also being engaging to diverse populations. A final evaluation compares student learning with and without this back-end formative assessment technology. The design of the data collection and presentation formats depends on an iterative process done in collaboration with teachers to identify the most useful information and display formats. These new simulations also include a back-end data collection capability that can collect, aggregate, and display student patterns of simulation use for teachers and researchers. On the basis of our emerging design principles, we are developing 10 new simulations in consultation with teachers, who are helping to identify high need areas for simulations. These studies include controlled comparisons that collect both qualitative and quantitative data. In parallel, pull-out and classroom-based studies are investigating a variety of lesson plans to identify the most promising approach. To optimize their utility for middle school science, we are conducting interviews with diverse 4-8 th graders using 25 existing PhET simulations to help identify successful design alternatives where needed, and to formulate generalized design guidelines. The current suite of free research-based, interactive PhET science simulations are used over 10 million times per year. The original PhET simulations were designed for college use, but overtime, they have migrated to lower grades. The research also includes an investigation of different ways of using simulations in class, and how these approaches affect student preparation for future learning when they are no longer using a given simulation. The research investigates how various characteristics of the simulation design influence student engagement and learning, and how this response varies across grade-level and diverse populations. These simulations include innovative technologies that provide teachers with real-time, formative feedback on how their students are using the simulations. ![]() W e are developing a suite of 35 high-quality, interactive simulations covering physical science topics. In this DRK12 project, the PhET Interactive Simulations group at the University of Colorado and the AAALab at Stanford University are working together to produce and study learning from interactive simulations designed for middle school science classrooms. ![]()
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