Abstract:

The simulations constitute useful ways of achieving a process of active and meaningful learning. With a constructivist focus, a sustainable, cognitive learning methodology, we will present a systematic approach for simulating the generation of a research problem from a basic subject matter. The students will be able to perform their work with a similar procedure as in real researches by using some elements of scientific method. So, their task grows and acquires the dimension of investigation. Consequently, students must learn in an active and meaningful form. Our approach, based on simulations, has three stages. In the first there are remarkable steps: the selection of a specific phenomenon by the professor, recommended lectures about the issue, basic concepts of subject and the student-professor interaction. Here, the connection between phenomenon and physical model must be established. Finally, the students have to think and state the particular problem. With metacognition process, the issue can evolve to a new situation. The second stage belongs to the solution of the new problem, where metacognition process is used again. The third stage has two parts: the writing of a scientific article and its oral presentation. Both parts have the following structure: background, specific problem, purpose of work, methods, discussion, conclusions and references. In this simulation we apply the procedure to a Physical phenomenon (nervous conduction). However, this methodology is applicable to any branch of science and engineering.

Keywords:

Innovation, simulations, learning models, cognitive learning, cognitive resources, metacognition, learning strategy.