Explore and create: Deep-dive Creation lab 
Preregistration Required
Interactive simulations are an engaging tool that promotes student inquiry, mathematical communication, and investigative thinking. Specifically, PhET Interactive Simulations have intentional scaffolding to help students actively make sense of numbers and multiple representations.
The purpose of this session is to explore multiple research-based simulations and sim-based lessons focusing on counting, cardinality, composing, decomposing, subitizing, addition, and place value. Multiple ways to represent numbers are incorporated into sims (e.g., group of objects, ten frame, numeral, and spoken). Participants will examine ways to address the mathematical practices by exploring multiple simulation scenes and analyzing/creating sample lessons. Presenters will use think-pair-share and whole group discussions.
Participants will leave with in-depth knowledge of facilitation strategies that can be paired with interactive simulations as well as sim-based lessons that can be implemented immediately. Lesson plans include open play, guided inquiry challenge prompts, and summary discussion questions.
15 minutes
Introduction to PhET simulations with participants engaging directly with sample simulations on their devices. This will be followed by inviting participants to share their discoveries and model the importance of open play as a way to invite agency, curiosity, and creativity while knowledge building.
25 minutes
Engage with two sim-based lessons to highlight ways in which simulations support deep thinking about number sense and counting principles.
20 minutes
Reflect on lesson strategies and watch videos of students engaging with simulations to confirm and build new knowledge. The videos will be debriefed to elevate facilitation strategies, notice opportunities to reinforce student thinking, and brainstorm probing questions to meet students where they are.
20 minutes
Challenge prompt exercise. Share strategies for writing engaging, inquiry-based challenge prompts that encourage students to be owners of their sim use, while getting all students to the same learning goals. Participants will write their own challenge prompts and share with their neighbors and the whole group.
10 minutes
Summarize and conclude. Participants will reflect on the power PhET simulations provide to support student inquiry and agency, as well as guiding students to be creators of their own knowledge and effective communicators.
Since 2002, PhET has developed interactive sims through research, co-design, and user testing, advancing educational technology design and what is known about how learners make sense of STEM concepts. PhET simulations are a leading STEM resource and have broad adoption by STEM teachers (annually: ~125 million uses in the US, ~250 million uses globally). PhET has been supported by seven research grants from the National Science Foundation.
There is substantial and growing evidence that teachers’ adoption of PhET simulations does much more than create an inquiry-based learning environment. In classrooms using simulations, norms often shift from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered learning (Atabas et al., 2020; Moore et al., 2013 & 2014). These shifts are in line with effective pedagogical practices for active learning that educational research has shown to have a positive impact on student learning (Moore, et. al, 2014).
Each sim page includes PhET-made and community-submitted lessons, providing teachers opportunities to use simulations with discipline-specific pedagogical approaches aiming to increase student equity through engagement. Lesson types include Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (Sharma et al., 2010; Sokoloff & Thornton, 2006), Concept Questions and Peer Instruction (Mazur, 1997; Tullis & Goldstone, 2020), and the creation and facilitation of effective small-group activities. Many PhET simulations additionally have inclusive features to support students who have learning differences and physical disabilities (Moore, 2015).
References
Atabas, S., Schellinger, J., Whitacre, I., Findley, K., & Hensberry, K. (2020). A tale of two sets of norms: Comparing opportunities for student agency in mathematics lessons with and without interactive simulations. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 58, 100761.
Mazur, E. (1997). Peer instruction: A user’s manual. Prentice Hall.
Moore, E. B. (2015). Designing accessible interactive chemistry simulations. ConfChem: Interactive Visualizations for Chemistry Teaching and Learning.
Moore, E. B., Carpenter, Y.-Y., Parson, R., & Perkins, K. (2014). From Demonstrations & Clicker Questions to Guided-Inquiry Activities: Resources for Integrating PhET Simulations into Introductory Chemistry Courses General Resources for Teaching with PhET Simulations Resources for Teaching with Specific PhET Chemistry, 1–6. https://confchem.ccce.divched.org/sites/confchem.ccce.divched.org/files/2014FallCCCENLP5.pdf
Moore, E. B., Herzog, T. A., & Perkins K. K. (2013). Interactive simulations as implicit support for guided inquiry. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 3.
Sharma, M., Johnston, I., Johnston, H., Varvell, K., Robertson, G., Hopkins, A., Stewart, C., Cooper, I., & Thornton, R. (2010). Use of interactive lecture demonstrations: A ten year study. Physical Review Special Topics Physics Education Research, 6(2), 020119.
Sokoloff, D. R. & Thornton, R. K. (2006). Interactive lecture demonstrations: Active learning in introductory physics. Wiley.
Tullis, J. G. & Goldstone, R. L. (2020). Why does peer instruction benefit student learning? Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 5, 15.
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