Chais2025_Heb_and_Eng-web

Dania P. Sacks, Sharona T. Levy 49E Proceedings of the 20th Chais Conference for the Study of Innovation and Learning Technologies: Learning in the Digital Era D. Olenik-Shemesh, I. Blau, N. Geri, A. Caspi, Y. Sidi, Y. Eshet-Alkalai, Y. Kalman, E. Rabin (Eds.), Ra'anana, Israel: The Open University of Israel Simulations Storybook: Supporting Young Children's Growing Understanding of Complex Systems (Short Paper) Dania P. Sacks University of Haifa dania.sacks@gmail.com Sharona T. Levy University of Haifa stlevy@edu.haifa.ac.il ספר סימולציות : תמיכת הצמיחה בידע של ילדים צעירים על אודות מערכות מורכבות )מאמר קצר( שרונה ט ' לוי אוניברסיטת חיפה stlevy@edu.haifa.ac.il דניה פ ' זקס אוניברסיטת חיפה dania.sacks@gmail.com Abstract This paper introduces Simulations Storybook (Levy & Sacks, 2022), an innovative educational design that uses digital storybooks embedded with computer models to support children's learning about complex systems. The study addresses changes in children's understanding of systems, the impact of system domain on learning, and how children interact with the Simulations Storybook featuring models of predator- prey relationships and epidemics. Using a mixed-methods design, the research analyzes data from pre- and posttest interviews with 15 kindergarteners and one child's interactions with the Simulations Storybook. The children's responses were coded for complex systems reasoning. Findings indicate that system domain influences children's use of using key systems-thinking concepts like level- transitions and interactions, though reading the Simulations Storybook did not increase children's use of these concepts. The case study participant showed interest and self-exploration with NetLogo (Wilensky, 1999) models. In the first session, "Feeding Rabbits," he focused on individual rabbit interactions, such as food holes made by the rabbits, without addressing broader system properties, like food availability. In the second session, "Sick Carrots," he adjusted the infection slider and began noticing group-level properties, like carrot populations and how their proximity influenced infection spread. This study highlights the potential of interactive models to promote systems-thinking. Keywords: interactive simulations, educational technology, complex systems. סימולציות, טכנולוגיות בחינוך, מערכות מורכבות . This paper presents Simulations Storybook (Levy & Sacks, 2022), a digital storybook with simulations designed to teach children about complex systems, a central topic in science education