ABSTRACT

It would be hard to develop a model of some aspect of the world without an element of reflection. In terms of modeling, we ask about what is being reflected on, when reflection happens and, from a pedagogical perspective, how to guide relatively novice modelers into more productive reflection. In this chapter we examine two different kinds of modeling: In one sense, it is about building a model of some physical situation (how electricity works or how the solar system is formed) or some state of affairs (e.g., the world of finance markets), and the other sense of modeling is about building a model of one’s own understanding through reflective thought as well as through discussion.