Modeling Infectious Disease in the Classroom

Pedagogy of modeling in the classroom

1. Use simulation in demo mode to help students realize functional representation of phenomenon.
2. Students use simulation as virtual experimental system, adjusting parameters, observing effects, forming explanations, making predictions, and testing those predictions.
3. Students modify an existing model by adding another component or functional feature.
4. Student pan and build a model of a phenomon from scratch.

Materials

• NIH Curriculum Supplement on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases - High school curricular materials employing outstanding pedagoical practice to teach conceptual aspects of infectious disease, primarily from public health perspective. Provides a simulation to allow some stage 2 activities in the modeling pedagogy.
• Shodor agent-based model of disease spread - Browser-based simulation that can be used in demo mode or for hands-on student virtual experimentation.
• Simple epidemic models have been developed using a variety of tools to enable various student audiences to delve more deeply into the modeling process.