Microworlds and Direct Manipulation Environments: The Case of Newtonian Mechanics

Abstract

This article probes some transitions from naive realism to formal mathematical modeling, using a Direct Manipulation Environment (DME) for Newtonian Mechanics. It takes the form of a case study of two pre-university students as they work on a system of connected particles using the DME Interactive Physics (Knowledge Revolution). The article analyses the ways in which students developed an argument to account for the system's behavior. A discussion follows which examines the interplay of mathematical reasoning, modes of interaction with technology, and setting, in the process of formal mathematical modeling. Throughout the article, comparisons are made between the direct manipulation metaphor and interpretations of the microworld notion to aid analysis.