The future of computer simulations designed for classroom instruction

Two pathways for the future of educational design in computer simulation technology are proposed in this chapter. Design in this context refers to both the design of the simulation and its interface and the design of pedagogic activities that integrate this technology. In this chapter, the author will: 1) present a classification scheme for digital technologies in education and determine where computer simulations fall within this scheme, 2) offer comparisons of different types of computer simulations in chemistry education and their external representations, 3) put forward new design directions on the use of non-standard external representations, such as analogic representations and, 4) draw upon three empirical studies to outline how such analogic computer simulations can be used productively in the chemistry classroom with a non-traditional pedagogic design. The first two studies investigate a simulatation with a dynamic analogy, and a third study investigates how a technology-enhanced approach to instruction contributes to student understanding of chemistry in the classroom. Research on this simulation and the instructional approach might be of interest to educators and developers who are exploring the future of design for computer simulations within classroom environments.