Modeling and Simulation in High School Education - Two European Examples

Discrete simulation is a suitable application area for several disciplines in high schools. One such discipline is Computer Science. Other disciplines are e.g. mathematics and business. The main principles of modeling information can be practiced in a suitable simulation project. For the implementation of the model on the computer, two different versions of Integrated Development Systems for GPSS have been developed mainly for the purpose of use in high schools. In Germany the version is WinGPSS, dedicated to Windows, and in Sweden WebGPSS, first implemented on the Web. Both systems use the same micro-GPSS simulator kernel. The paper discusses the goals with, and the experience gained from, the use of these GPSS versions in high schools. Some of the most recent developments of WinGPSS and WebGPSS are also presented. 1 THE GERMAN EXAMPLE (HENRY HERPER) The goal of teaching Computer Science, in Germany called Informatics, in high schools is to transmit basic principles, methods, applications, ways of thinking and working within Computer Science, as well as to give an understanding of the societal importance of information systems. The contents and the methods should have a general and allround educational character and precisely in this area support the independent acquirement of capabilities and skills. Since the educational program in Germany is determined by the individual states (Bundesländer) and Computer Science is the most recently introduced subject, there are very different methods of teaching Computer Science in the different German states. The following account refers mainly to the education in the state of Sachsen-Anhalt (south-west of Berlin and Brandenburg). Here the teaching of Computer Science begins in grades 7 und 8, which as regards age can perhaps be compared to grades 8 and 9 in the US, since many students start at the age of seven in Germany. This early teaching is focused on basic work with the computer, involving word processors, spreadsheets and presentation programs. For this purpose there is each week one hour available in the curriculum. In grades 10 to 12 the students are offered a course in Computer Science, in which the students get the foundations of Computer Science. For this course two class hours per week are provided. In the last few years, the focus of the teaching of Computer Science in Germany has shifted from programming languages to modeling of information, which includes all stages of solving a problem with a computer. It is here necessary to find problems that are suitable in the sense that the problems can be completely worked through to a solution in a course. In this basic education in Computer Science, the students learn a programming language. This language is usually object oriented. The coding of a program has proved important for motivating the students, since they can in this way test the completeness and correctness of their modeling approach. After completing the basic education in Computer Science, which usually takes two years, students choose between optional courses from different areas of Computer Science. One of these courses is Introduction to Modeling and Simulation. One goal of this course is to confirm the knowledge and skills gained during the first two years of courses in Computer Science and to apply them to a new area. For this course some 32 classroom hours are available. The goal of the school authorities is that the students in this course should