A Guide On Models and Modelling
A Guide On Models and Modelling
Abstract. A new curriculum and examination programme for upper secondary school physics
was recently introduced in the Netherlands. Models and modelling play an important role here-
in. But teachers need help in developing their PCK in this area. To this end we developed a
modelling guide, which introduces physics teachers to the role of modelling in science and
science education, the scientific base of teaching and learning routes of modelling in pre-uni-
versity education, and curriculum relevant computer models. We discuss the design and con-
tents of this guide, and teachers’ first impressions when it was presented to them in workshops.
1. Introduction
In the school year 2013-2014, a new curriculum and examination programme for upper secondary
school physics started. It adopts a context-concept approach to education in which models and model-
ling play an important role. Both computer based modelling and a modelling approach to a given
problem situation are considered cognitive tools for developing scientific literacy.
There is a long tradition in Dutch physics education in using models, in having students engaged in
computer modelling, and in assessing modelling in school exams. The inclusion of models and
modelling in the nationwide physics exams and the introduction of new contexts for modelling has
made the topic compulsory. This has stimulated teachers to update or renew their PCK. To this end,
professionalization courses were organized and papers were written in teacher journals. Reports on
this topic were also published by the Committee Innovation High School Physics Education [1, 2] and
the Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO) [3].
However, what seems missing is a guide that informs physics teachers about the achievement
levels with regards to models and modelling, and contains suggestions and didactic advice for reali-
zing a coherent modelling curriculum. Supported by the Centre for STEM Education in Amsterdam, a
team with experience in modelling at secondary physics level, including the authors of this article,
have set themselves the task of filling this gap. At the beginning of 2018, a web-based modelling
guide for Dutch physics teachers was finalized, published, and officially transferred to the website of
SLO: http://handreikingschoolexamen.slo.nl/natuurkunde/modelleren The English translation is
available at https://staff.fnwi.uva.nl/a.j.p.heck/Guide_on_Modelling.
In this article we present the design and contents of this guide, and teachers’ first impressions when
it was presented to them in workshops. We hope and expect that this presentation informs and possibly
inspire others who want to support physics teachers similarly.
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
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what motivated the endeavour to develop a guide on models and modelling for upper secondary
physics education. Hereafter we describe the design principles used for the creation of the guide.
2.1. Recent changes in curriculum and examination for Dutch upper secondary school physics
After years of preparation [1, 2], the Dutch curriculum for upper secondary mathematics and science
education was renewed both at general education level and pre-university level. In this article we will
focus on the upper level of pre-university education that comprises a period of three years with school
exams and a nationwide final exam. Because the new physics curriculum started in the school year
2013-2014 for all Dutch students, the physics literacy of all students at pre-university level is exam-
ined according to the new programme from 2016 onward.
The ambitions of the curriculum reform can be summarized as follows:
1. improving students’ scientific literacy and covering modern physics by the introduction of con-
temporary and relevant content;
2. intertwining contexts and concepts in science education;
3. achieving more coherence within science subjects and across the different science subjects,
physics, chemistry and biology;
4. attracting more students and preparing them better for higher education in science.
The first ambition has been realised by the introduction of new knowledge domains such as ‘Quantum
World’, `Theory of Relativity’, and ‘Life and Earth’, and by the introduction of new contexts such as
nanotechnology, climate, (medical) imaging, the human body, sports, modelling of dynamic processes,
and so on. New contexts have been introduced to make physics more attractive, improve learning
results and increase the motivation, interest, and attitude of students towards the study of physics. In
the so-called context-concept approach adopted in some form in all Dutch science curricula, contexts
give meaning to science concepts and to selected instructional materials, and are meant to illustrate
scientific and societal applications. Concepts typify in a broad way the most important insights in
mathematics and science, and they guide the teaching of science. The Innovation Committee High
School Physics Education [1, 2] promoted structuring of upper secondary school physics contents via
contexts and concepts. In other words, it advocated intertwinement of a context-based approach, where
contexts and application of science are used as a starting point for the development of scientific ideas,
and a concept-based approach, which emphasizes that scientific ideas are covered before looking at
applications. The goal of bringing more coherence within and across science subjects is not only
meant to improve the students’ learning of science, but also to prepare them better for higher educa-
tion, in which a multidisciplinary approach is more and more adopted in teaching and learning in order
to reflect that modern science is often carried out in multidisciplinary teams.
Evaluation studies [4, 5] show that physics teachers in general perceive the new curriculum as new
and doable in school practice and that they enjoy the physics teaching within this new curriculum,
although not everyone recognizes the reform as really new because of the long tradition in the Nether-
lands in using contexts to teach and learn physics. Ottevanger et al [4] found that physics teachers
seem to predominantly interpret this approach as a set of particular comprehensive realistic situations
with particular challenging problems that can (only) be solved when the targeted knowledge is master-
ed. They also found that the new physics program appears to be viewed differently and enacted differ-
ently between teachers who were involved in pilot projects and teachers who were not. Pilot teachers
place concepts in contexts and stimulate students to use concepts in different contexts, too. Most
physics teachers use contexts in a quarter of their lessons, mainly to illustrate or introduce new con-
tent. This conclusion is in agreement with the finding of de Putter-Smits et al [6] that teachers with
design experience show more competence in the context-concept approach than their nondesigning
colleagues.
A new physics curriculum also means new school exams and a new nationwide final exam. Folkers
[7] came in her analysis of final exams in the science subjects biology, physics and chemistry with
regards to the intended curriculum innovation to the following conclusions:
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IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1287 (2019) 012041 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1287/1/012041
Exam designers do their best to make space for the reciprocity of context and concepts, but
there is room for improvement of the quality of the contexts used with regards to clarity,
authenticity, relevance for solving problems, and assessment value;
Modern science is sufficiently addressed in the exam questions, but it is not clear whether it
stimulates teachers to use them in their lessons;
Only coherence with mathematics can be identified in the physics exams;
There are not many exam questions about doing science, such as scientific reasoning, inquiry
and modelling;
Knowing about the nature of science is not assessed in the final exams.
Although finding the right balance between the knowledge domains in the final exams is challeng-
ing, the first exams seem to sufficiently reflect the curriculum reform. The targeted modelling
competency is described in the new curriculum and examination programme as follows [2]: “the
candidate can analyse a contextual problem, reduce it to a manageable problem, translate this into a
model, generate outcomes, interpret these outcomes, and test and evaluate the model. The candidate
can, by consistent reasoning and by use of relevant computational and mathematical skills, convert an
existing model into a computer model and generate outcomes by choosing an appropriate time step.”
The modelling competency is assessed in school exams and, what is new, in the nationwide final
exam. The following task in the physics exam of May 2018, about the motion of a car when propul-
sion stops gives an impression how this is done. An schematic model is given in terms of both compu-
ter code and a graphical model (Figure 1):
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mentation in a practical investigation or student research projects. It also mentions some contexts that
seem appropriate for modelling. But this is hardly enough for physics teachers to get a good view on
how to incorporate (computer) modelling in their lessons. What seems missing is a guide that informs
physics teachers about the role of modelling in scientific practice, the envisioned use of models and
modelling in secondary school physics education and the associated achievement levels in the curricu-
lum, and that contains exemplified suggestions and didactic advice that inspires teachers to realize a
coherent modelling curriculum. The guide on models and modelling presented in this article is meant
to serve this purpose, helping teacher to develop their PCK in this area.
3.1. Outline
The web-based guide on models and modelling consists of four parts:
1. An introduction into models and modelling in science and technology, discussing
how modelling is both a way of thinking and a way of working in physics;
what is meant by the notion of scientific model;
the role of modelling in the scientific search for insight in the real world.
2. An introduction into models and modelling in science education, discussing
the learning objectives for modelling at secondary school level, which are assessed both
in school exams and in nationwide exams of science fields;
a modelling cycle that can guide the learning activities and contributes to a systematic
instructional approach to modelling;
challenges in modelling instruction, which resemble the ones encountered in inquiry-
based learning and practical work;
the learning cycle introduced by Kolb [10] as guideline for an effective instructional
approach to modelling.
3. A modelling learning path, extracted from the doctoral study of Onne van Buuren [9].
4. Overview of models and modelling equations that are most commonly used in Dutch secondary
physics education.
Examples come from four subdomains of the examination programme: Force and Motion
(see Figure 2), Oscillations, Energy and Heat, and Quantum World;
Computer models are presented in the form of semi-finished deliverables instead of
worked-out lesson materials;
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Both text-based and graphical models are implemented in Coach [11], which is an inte-
grated computer learning environment for STEM education and which is commonly
available at Dutch secondary schools with also a home license.
In the following subsections we present details of the contents and advices for teachers in these parts.
Figure 2. Snapshot of a part of the modelling guide in the format used during its development.
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thinking about a modelling learning trajectory one can learn from findings and experiences in develop-
ing practical work for secondary physics students.
Insights about learning, for example from [10, 15, 16], may help develop a didactics of modelling.
According to these insights, learning is a cyclic process that begins with concrete experiences and
primary observations that subsequently lead to a connection with prior knowledge. The next step
consists of a hypothesis about this connection, followed by actions with the aim of testing this hypo-
thesis. In the modelling guide we link this and the context-concept approach to Kolb’s idea of a
learning cycle (see Figure 5). According to Kolb [10], there are four recognizable phases of learning:
concrete experience, reflective perception, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation and
testing. Deep and permanent learning requires that all phases are completed (several times).
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IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1287 (2019) 012041 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1287/1/012041
modelling. These levels of modelling as well as the inductive and deductive activities in the modelling
cycle are exemplified in the guide for the motion of free fall and the quantum particle in a box.
The part in the guide on a modelling learning path ends with a discussion of the competencies
needed for modelling. They include reading of diagrams and schemes, collecting and interpreting data,
applying models and working with computer modelling environments, and applying specific
mathematical knowledge and skills such as understanding the notions of variable, function, and
difference equation, and having adequate mathematization skills, Teachers are advised to let student
develop the relevant mathematical knowledge by separate instruction and practice.
Figure 6. Screen shot of a Coach model of a quantum particle in a box with one finite wall.
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IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1287 (2019) 012041 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1287/1/012041
Modelling examples included in the guide are always listed in increasing order of complexity.
Many of them have been taken from doctoral studies [9, 14]. For the subdomain `Quantum world’ we
have included the 1-dimensional Schrödinger equation of a free particle, a particle in a box, a box with
one finite wall, a symmetric well, the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom, quantum tunneling, and
alpha decay. These are models that many physics teachers at secondary school would have difficulty
with in designing the computer models themselves. The provided Coach activities help them create
their instructional materials in this knowledge domain.
5. References
[1] Committee Innovation High School Physics Education 2006 Natuurkunde leeft [Physics lives]
(Amsterdam, Nederlandse Natuurkundige Vereniging)
www.leraar24.nl/app/uploads/Visiedocument_natuurkunde1-1.pdf
[2] Committee Innovation High School Physics Education 2010 Nieuwe Natuurkunde [New
Physics] (Amsterdam, Nederlandse Natuurkundige Vereniging)
http://downloads.slo.nl/Documenten/Eindadvies_20Natuurkunde.pdf
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[3] Paus J 2013 Handreiking schoolexamen natuurkunde havo/vwo [Guide on physics school
examination havo/vwo] (Enschede: SLO) http://handreikingschoolexamen.slo.nl/natuurkunde
[4] Ottevanger W, Folmer E. and Kuiper W 2016 Context-based science education in senior
secondary schools in the Netherlands Teachers Creating Context-Based Learning Environments
in Science (Advances in Learning Environments Research vol 9) ed R Taconis, P Brok and A
Pilot (Rotterdam: Sense Publishers) chapter 12 pp 213-24
[5] Ottevanger W, Heijnen, M and Folmer, E 2018. Monitoring en evaluatie invoering beta-
vernieuwing. Eindmeting docenten en leerlingen 2016-2017 [Monitoring and evaluation
implementation science education innovation. Final measurement teachers and students]
(Enschede: SLO)
[6] de Putter-Smits L, Taconis R, Jochems W and Van Driel J 2013 An analysis of teaching
competence in science teachers involved in the design of context-based curriculum materials Int
J Sci Educ 34 701-21
[7] Folmer, E 2018. Centrale examens als drager van betavakvernieuwing [Nationwide exams as
supports of science education innovation] (Enschede: SLO)
[8] Savelsberg E (ed) 2008 Modelleren en computermodellenb in de β-vakken: Advies aan de
gezamenlijke β-vernieuwingscommissies [Modelling and computer models in the sciences:
advice to the joint curriculum innovation committees] (Utrecht: Freudenthal Institute)
https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/32409
[9] Van Buuren O 2014 Development of a modelling learning path [Doctoral thesis, University of
Amsterdam] (Amsterdam: CMA)
[10] Kolb D 2015 Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development 2nd
ed (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education)
[11] Heck A, Kedzierska E and Ellermeijer T 2009 Design and implementation of an integrated
computer learning environment for doing mathematics and science J Comput Math Sci Teach 28
147-61
[12] Lijnse P 2016 Models of/for teaching modeling Modeling in Physics and Physics Education
(GIREP 2016 Proceedings) ed E van den Berg, T Ellermeijer and O Slooten (Amsterdam:
University of Amsterdam) pp 22-33
[13] Ormel B 2010 Het natuurwetenschappelijk modelleren van dynamische systemen: Naar een
didactiek voor het voortgezet onderwijs [Scientific modelling of dynamical systems: towards a
pedagogical theory for secondary education [Doctoral thesis, Utrecht University] (Utrecht: CD-
β Press)
[14] Heck A 2012 Perspectives on an integrated computer learning environment [Doctoral thesis,
University of Amsterdam] (Amsterdam: Can Uitgeverij)
[15] Bransford D, Brown A and Cocking R (eds) 1999 How people learn: brain, mind, experience
and school – expanded ed (Washington, DC: National Academic Press)
[16] Donovan M and Bransford R (eds) 2005 How students learn: history, mathematics and science
in the classroom (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press)
[17] Schwarz C, Reiser B, Davis E et al 2009 Developing a learning progression for scientific
modeling: making scientific modeling accessible and meaningful for learners J. Res Sci Teach
46 632-54
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