Contemporary sciences, including the didactics of science, employ computational simulations as tools in their academic endeavors. The construction and application of these simulations are of interest to didactics as they contribute to shaping new perspectives on scientific activity. Consequently, they warrant special attention in…

As part of a larger study (Boling et al., 2024a, b), this paper reports on how instructional designers define and use precedent knowledge, including its sources, forms, and role in decision-making. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with instructional designers from higher education and non-profit professional…

The aim of this paper is to explore the use of function graphs to model a given picture of the Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic architectural structure located in San Francisco. This illustration is sourced from the guide on drawing the Golden Gate Bridge ("How to Draw the Golden Gate Bridge", n.d.). We use the digital graphing calculator…

ILA "General Principles for Leadership Programs" were originally conceived to advocate approaches to leadership cultivation that would increase visibility, encourage greater cooperation, and be applicable across diverse organizations and cultural contexts. Subsequent to their release as a concept paper, the "General Principles"…

Gamification, when properly implemented in education and training, can increase the engagement and motivation of learners and inspire them to change aspects of their behaviour to support learning. Although the use of gamification in the learning process might have a positive impact, its potential to strengthen education and training has not yet…

This pedagogical paper presents an approach to urban design taught in the "Complex Densities Studio" CDS of the Institute of Architecture and Earth Sciences of Setif (IAST). This approach is based on urban analysis and scenario building, the use of parametric tools, and the constitution of reusable "parametric actions". The…

Understanding the reasoning in the design process is essential to comprehend design practice and promote students' learning. Followingly, to effectively support students through the design process, it is crucial to pay attention to their reasoning. Therefore, in this study, we have built a model for students' reasoning in the design process in…

This paper develops a model of education production and uses it to study optimal school system and curriculum design. Curriculum design is modeled as a time-allocation problem. A school teaches students many skills and allocates time to different skills based on student characteristics. Our framework provides a novel interpretation of studies that…

Critical inquiries--those seeking to disrupt and alleviate injustice--amplify the stakes and challenges of designing effective compelling questions. Teachers must navigate decisions about what constitutes an injustice, which perspectives are legitimate, and how to maintain a focus on justice and equity while neither indoctrinating students nor…

Modern-day educators often share a sense they lack voice and agency with school administration. A classic example is curriculum development, where third-party designers develop uncontextualized curricula, and teachers then must implement the design even if inefficient and ineffective. What happens if this identical situation occurs at the program…

Universities across the globe are transforming or upgrading their campus infrastructure to prepare students for the work in the 21st century. Such campus transformations can be important in various ways. For example, universities can introduce innovative learning spaces that support recruitment and enrollment policies on campus. Even though the…

The importance of models and modeling in science education is well-recognized, yet there exists significant polysemy among these terms within the literature. This ambiguity often leads to confusion, particularly regarding whether modeling represents an expected student performance, an instructional strategy to promote such performance, or both.…

This pilot study investigates the way that young students and teachers of a Dutch Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) secondary school subject Research and Design (R&D) reason about the concept of 'model'. The core of the Dutch Technasium secondary school course Research and Design curriculum (R&D is in Dutch called…

Developing and using models to make sense of phenomena or to design solutions to problems is a key science and engineering practice. Classroom use of technology-based tools can promote the development of students' modelling practice, systems thinking, and causal reasoning by providing opportunities to develop and use models to explore phenomena.…

The goal of this article is to propose a framework for understanding the nature of "how people construct problems" by interacting with situations and subsequently to offer implications for instructional design and future research. We propose that people must interactively frame the components of a situation in order to establish the…