Computer simulations have become increasingly powerful and available to science
teachers over the last three decades. Instructional computer simulation is recognized
as a cognitive visualized tool for effective support of student learning in science by
presenting dynamic theoretical or simplified models of real-world components,
phenomena, or processes, and enlarging students to observe, explore, recreate, and
receive immediate feedback about real objects, phenomena, and processes. As such,
simulation-based conceptual learning tools were utilized to support activities of
observation, and reflection helps in facilitating the learning of abstract concepts
(Chen et al. 2011; Colella 2000; de Jong and Van Joolingen 1998) and providing
real-time data displays related to a dynamic phenomenon and information on how
certain parameters change synchronously to facilitate higher-level thinking (de Jong
and van Joolingen 1998; Ronen and Eliahu 2000). Based on visual-aids learning
with computer simulation, its visualized features facilitate the integrated cognitive
process of new knowledge and existing knowledge, and improve conceptual
understanding in scientific phenomena (Cook 2006; Wu and Shah 2004).