SSI3013(A)

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGY IN SCIENCE

SIMULATION USING STELLA SOFTWARE

NAME MATRIC NO.

NABILAH ‘ALIAH BT AMER
D20151071575
AZHAR
NUR HAZWANI BT OTHMAN D20151071573
DEWI BT SALAM D20151070973

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 CONTENT

Introduction……………………………………………………………………...3

STELLA Software as a Simulation Program………………………………….4

How Simulation Motivates Students’ Learning…………………………….... 5

Drawbacks of Simulation…………………………………………………….....6

Experiment Theory……………………………………………………...............7

Discussion………………………………………………………………………...7

Conclusion……………………………………………………............................10

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INTRODUCTION

Recently, technology has play an important role in enhancing the way teaching
and learning take place. As integration of technology evolves in the classroom,
teachers now have a wide variety of teaching tools available to help facilitate in
students learning. One such tool is simulation.

A simulation is actually a technique of imitating the behaviour of some

situation or system by means of an analogous model, situation, or apparatus, either to
gain information more conveniently or to train personnel. It can also be defined as the
representation of a model such as an object, system, or idea, where users can control
or manipulate the parameter in the simulation and get results. In general, simulation
delivers virtual replication of products, systems and processes in operationally valid
environments. It can bring a model to life and shows how a particular object or
phenomenon will behave. Thus, simulation can be used as analysis tool for predicting
the effect of changes, and as a design tool to predict the performance of new system.

Nowadays, simulation is used in many fields such as in health care, military

application, semiconductor manufacturing, safety engineering, business process
simulation, risk analysis, training, performance optimization, video games, and also
education. Focusing on education, simulation becomes one of the teaching and
learning method used to conduct science experiments and predict results.

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STELLA Software As A Simulation Program

STELLA is one example

of a simulation software that
allows user to communicate with
the simulation to understand how a
system works, its impacts and the
outcomes. It is a short form for
Systems Thinking Experimental
Learning Laboratory with
Animation. One of the goals of the development of STELLA is to enhance the learning
process. STELLA has been used in the education field as a teaching tool and has been
utilized in a variety of research and business applications. This software is easy to use
as it has been used widely in Physics, Chemistry to Public Policy, Literature and
Calculus.

Using this software, users create a diagram of the interrelationships between

the components of a model or system. In effect, STELLA provides graphical
representation of the variables or differential equations that describe the problem of
interest, and then solves it. STELLA can also produce graphs and tables of data for
any system modelled in the diagram.

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How Simulation Motivates Students’ Learning

Simulations are a proven and useful tool to improve learning as well as a tool
that creates a safe and enjoyable learning environment, where experimentation and
failure are possible. Knowledge is not in knowing the theory only, but in the chance
to apply the theory in real situation. By adding a simulation to the learning process, it
allows for experiment exploration especially in science learning. As most simulators
are designed with a flexible variables that can be changed according to user’s needs,
students will have the chance to explore and experiment on their own by changing any
parameters in the simulation program and observe the outcomes. This will also help
to train the students in inquiry-based learning where they need to explore knowledge
and make decision by themselves.

An educational simulation can also motivate students to engage in problem

solving, hypothesis testing, experiential learning, schema construction, and
development of mental models (Winn & Snyder, 1996; Duffy & Cunningham, 1996).
With better illustration of results in the form of graphs, charts, and diagrams, students
will have a better view of the process, thus, increasing their interest in learning.

Another advantage of using simulation is that it allows user to analyse data

and predict outcomes easier. For instance, in the experiment simple population
dynamics, we can manipulate the variable by varying the value of the number of rats
and owls in a palm oil plant. Because of this, we can see the relationship between both
variables and how they affect each other. After that, we are able to predict what will
happen next and be ready to face any challenges or overcome any bad consequence
in our experiment.

The use of simulation in teaching and learning will make it more interesting
and exciting as the learners can explore everything in various type of experiments. By
having a simulation software like Stella, students can explore it early before entering
the class or when they are not in the class. This can trigger students to be more inspired
to study and discover a new thing.

Another advantage of simulation teaching and learning is it can help the

students to learn the abstract content from the teachers effectively. From here,
students are able to understand the learning easily as the can use the simulation and
not just imagine what they have been taught by the teachers. Usually, if students only

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listen to the teachers or read notes, they tend to forget what they have learned as it
will be kept under short-term memory. By using simulation, they will feel excited and
eager to learn new things thus the learning will be more meaningful and kept as long-
term memory.

In analysing a case study or a system, students’ motivation increase as they try

to play with the parameters and explore until they get the actual requirement of the
experiment. Whey they explore new things; they will improve themselves. Students
will know something more than they know already. They will feel more curious to
know the things in more detail and makes them to be creative and innovative.

Last but not least, the last advantage of using simulation is the chance of errors
is minimal because of the short learning cycles, no programming is needed and very
quick development of complex models.

Drawbacks Of Simulation

Nevertheless, simulation also can give disadvantages due to certain reasons.

First and foremost, students that do not possess their own computer or limited
availability of computers cannot use simulation to help them in teaching and learning
process. This is because they will not the opportunity to explore again what they have
learned in class compare to other students who possess their own computer at home.

Besides that, the use of simulation can give a troubles to the users who do not
know how to use a computer. There are two major problems. firstly, they need to learn
how to use computer. Next, they will also need to learn about the simulation too. This
can be a burden for students as if they do not have much skills in computer and
simulation. They will feel unmotivated as they might be lag behind the others.

On top of that, many simulations require pre simulation lesson preparation.

Due to this reason, the time taken for users to use the simulation in a short period will
be longer. Next, the cost of software is quite expensive. There a trial version of some
software but it will last only for 30 days. Because of this, students cannot explore the
software deeply because of the limitation of time. In addition, limited scope of
applicability and also limited flexibility. This is because the variation of the topics in
software is not too many. Some of the may not suit with the users’ requirement.

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Experiment theory

STELLA is used in the experiment simple population dynamics. In this experiment,

palm oil planter use owls to combat the menace of rodent pests. Owls are used so that
they can control the rat population that damaging palm oil. The relationship between
palm oil, owls and rats can be seen using STELLA.

Discussion

Diagram 1

Based on the graph at the diagram 1, the graph shows about the ecosystem in palm oil
plantation which is consist of the interaction between the population of rat, owl and
oil palm fruit. In this experiment, both population of rat and owl are the manipulated
variable while the population of oil palm is the responding variable. Their set the
population of rat in 2000 while the owl at 12 populations.

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 After running the simulation, at first few years, both population of owl and rat
are decreased since it’s the time for the rat and owl to adapt with the new environment.
But then, both population start to increase. The rate growth of rat is double from the
owl. We can simply say that, the rate growth of rat is higher that the owl. But, until
one stage, the population of rat start to decrease due to the population of owl is enough
to control the rat with the prey and predator relationship. In this condition, the
population of oil palm is increased without any problem due to the balance of
population owl and rat. The total of rotten fruit that cause by the rat is smaller than
the production of good quality fruit.

Diagram 2

In diagram 2, their start to increase for both population to 2800 for rat and 18
for owl. The result shows, after a few years, both population became zero due to the
competition between the animals in same species. Since the rate growth of rat is higher,
it starts to increase their population by the time. The population of rat increase because
of absence of the owl in the ecosystem. During this time, the production of oil palm
fruit is decreased. Increasing population of rat affect the production of oil palm. The
total of rotten fruit produced is higher than the good quality fruit.

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 The conclusion from this simulation, it increases both population of rat and
owl is actually did not help the production of oil palm but only decreasing the
production. Event both manipulated variable increase, still other factors can effect in
this situation.

Diagram 3

For this diagram, their drastically decrease the population of rat to the 20000
like the first simulation but the population of owl is only decrease to 16. The result
show that the population of rat became very lower or approaching to zero due to the
higher population of owl. For the population of owl, at the first year, the population is
increased but suddenly happen an extreme decline because of the limited source food
(rat) and competition among them. At some point, the rate growth of owl became zero
which is the total of birth rates and mortality rates are the same. When the population
of owl at static state, the population of rat start to increase. During this time, the
production of oil palm fruit became decrease as the rat population is increased.

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 From this simulation, we know that, even the owl can control the population
of rat, we cannot simplify put it in large population. We should consider other factor
such as the ratio between pre and predator that play an important role in this simulation.

Conclusion

Simulation requires students do by their own like modelling. Simulation can be a

powerful tool to help them understand the scientific concept better. This method can
help students to master certain concept in a lesser time compare to old method
teaching which is by ‘chalk and talk’. The learning experience will become more
meaningful as they learn something in an interesting way.

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