Coordinating Multiple Equations that Model Complex Systems

Abstract

Complex systems demand multiple representations to characterize changes to their physical and quantitative properties. We sought to determine how undergraduate students coordinated multiple equations that modeled a system in two distinct situations. Results revealed that learning experiences with a multi-representational computational environment prompted students to shift from describing calculations and quantitative dependencies to coordinating the conceptual meanings between equations. We describe how this proof of existence informs theory and the design of future learning technologies.