Modellus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Modellus is a freely available software package that enables students and teachers (high school and college) to use mathematics to create or explore models interactively.
Version 3 (Windows Vista Compatible, full 32 bits) is expected by June 2008. Version 4 (Java, multiple platforms) is expected by July 2008. Beta versions are available from February 2008.
[edit] Features
- Creating and exploring mathematical models is a fundamental task in many sciences. Modellus can help students experience minds-on learning while creating, simulating, and analyzing mathematical models interactively on the computer.
- To set up a model, you just need to enter conventional mathematical equations and expressions (functions, differential equations and iterations). No programming language or special commands, either visual or written, are needed.
- Constructing an animation of the model is just as easy: choose objects, like images or vectors, and assign properties, like position or size. With an easy-to-use Windows user interface, graphs and tables are also just a mouse-click away.
- Modellus can be used as an exploratory (the user explores models made by others) or as an authoring environment. Furthermore, models or any other window can be hidden and/ or protected.
- Modellus comes with pre-constructed interactive examples that illustrate many scientific concepts. There are also many others available on this website or from curriculum projects.
- Modellus was designed by science education researchers to offer a software package with a sound pedagogical basis. It can help teachers and students become familiar with the mathematics (the language of Nature, according to Galileo!). If you are interested in learning more about the pedagogy under Modellus, you can read a few papers about it.
- Modellus was created by Vitor Duarte Teodoro, with the collaboration of João Paulo Duque Vieira and Filipe Costa Clérigo. It was programmed by João Paulo Duque Vieira and Filipe Costa Clérigo.
