Injecting creativity into teaching simulation modeling to computer science students

The computer simulation classes in the Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering Department at the University of Florida emphasize a skill set focusing on dynamic system model construction, syntax, and execution. Simulation models are treated as types of formal languages, resulting in instruction that concentrates on key facets of language such as syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. For the past 12 years, the class was predicated on learning a collection of model types and their applications. In the Fall of 2004 and 2005, we modified the class to emphasize student creativity in model construction, allowing students to design their own model representations for a fixed model structure. This experiment resulted in significant positive student feedback, and has the potential to suggest visual language exploration in other computer science classes as a means of comprehending the relevant topical material.