a b s t r a c t
Manyaspectsofmodernresearchandotherprofessionalactivitiesinthegeosciencesrequireadvanced
knowledgeaboutmathematicalphysicsmodelsandscientific computationmethodsandtools.In-depth
meaningful learningofsuchknowledgeskillsisadifficult cognitiveprocesswhichinvolvesdeveloping
strong backgroundknowledgeofphysics,mathematicsandscientific computationappropriately
contextualisedinthegeosciencesthemes.Inthispaperwedescribeaninteractiveengagementteaching
approach thatisbasedonModellus,afreelyavailablecomputersoftwaresystemallowing(1)mathe-
matical modellingrangingfromexplorativetoexpressivemodelling,(2)theintroductionofscientific
computation withoutrequiringthedevelopmentofaworkingknowledgeofprogrammingand(3)the
simultaneous manipulationandanalysisofseveraldifferentmodelrepresentations,namely,tables,
graphs andanimationswithinteractiveobjectshavingpropertiesdefined inavisibleandmodifiable
mathematical model.Asexamplesofapplication,withinsightsforthedevelopmentofotheractivitiesin
a widerangeofgeosciencescourses,wediscussasetofinteractivecomputationalmodellingactivitiesfor
introductorymeteorologywehaveimplementedinundergraduateuniversitycourses.