The monist project - A system for learning and teaching with educational simulations

Abstract

The monist-project has committed itself to the task of developing recipes for the use of simulations in higher education in neural and cognitive science. The basis of the monist-project is a software package, the monist console, designed for providing compact, ready to use educational simulations with variable application context. The monist console is a client-server application supporting online and offline learning with simulations. Simulations become educational as they are complemented by topical texts, instructional design, concrete tasks and an editor for individual notes and solutions. This ‘format’ is integrated in the monist-console. Educational simulations can be used in nearly every learning context found in higher education. They can selectively supplement lectures and tutorials or can be compiled to complete courses. Online file-management and communication tools as well as an learning management (via monist-server) help to organize personalized courses.