Revised Nuffield Advanced Physics: Dynamic Modelling

Published by the Nuffield Foundation, the Dynamic Modelling system was designed to be used in the Revised Nuffield Advanced Physics course as well as other secondary science courses. The program had two parts: the operating system and a physics models disk. The system was intended to meet the needs of different teaching methods, student abilities and class groupings. Additional guides and models disks were planned for other subjects, for use in further and higher education as well as in the secondary school curriculum. The system was expected to have a wide range of applications in science teaching and in many other areas of the curriculum. The system could be used in a variety of ways.

These included:

• demonstration of a model;
• building up a model by discussion;
• exploring a model in group or individual work;
• developing a new model, for example for project work;
• teaching elementary programming.

The nearest equivalent to the Dynamic Modelling System available now is Modellus which has a similar focus on algebraic expression and iterative solutions. Thanks to enhanced display methods and increased processing power, Modellus is able to produce a much more intelligible rendition of the models than was possible with the Dynamic Modelling System.