Table of Contents

Simulation .............................................................................................................................................. 1

STELLA software ................................................................................................................................. 2

Application of simulation ..................................................................................................................... 2

I. Manufacturing ............................................................................................................................. 2

II. Health care .................................................................................................................................. 3

III. Transport systems ................................................................................................................... 3

IV. Defence ................................................................................................................................... 4

Graph of simulation .............................................................................................................................. 4

Advantages of STELLA ....................................................................................................................... 6

I. Teachers ...................................................................................................................................... 6

II. Students ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Disadvantages of STELLA ................................................................................................................... 8

Summary................................................................................................................................................ 9

References ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Simulation

A simulation is the operation of a model of the system. The model can be reconfigured and
experimented with too expensive or impractical to do in the system it represents. The operation
of the model can be concerning the behaviour of the actual system or its subsystem can be
inferred. In its broadest sense, simulation is a tool to evaluate the performance of a system,
existing or proposed, under different configurations of interest and over long periods of real
time. Simulation is used before an existing system is altered or a new system built, to reduce
the chances of failure to meet specifications, to eliminate unforeseen bottlenecks, to prevent
under or over utilization of resources, and to optimize system performance. For instance,
simulation can be used to answer the questions. Simulation models consist of the following
components such as system entities, input variables, performance measures, and functional
relationships.

Following are the steps to develop a simulation model:

Step 1: Identify the problem with an existing system or set requirements of proposed system.

Step 2: Design the problem while taking care of the existing system factors and limitations.

Step 3: Collect and start processing the system data, observing its performance and result.

Step 4: Develop the model using network diagrams and verify it using various verifications
techniques.

Simulation is also used with scientific modelling of natural systems or human systems to gain
insight into their functioning. Simulation can be used to show the eventual real effects of
alternative conditions and courses of action. Simulation is also used when the real system
cannot be engaged, because it may not be accessible, or it may be dangerous or unacceptable
to engage, or it is being designed but not yet built, or it may simply not exist.

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STELLA software

STELLA is a software package that allows the user to simulate systems without the use of any
advanced programming language. STELLA stands for Structural Thinking Experimental
Learning Laboratory with Animation. With STELLA the user creates a diagram of the
interrelationships between the components of a model. STELLA can produce graphs and tables
of data for any system modelled in the diagram. The STELLA software is designed to increase
the effectiveness of the set of processes by which we render, simulate, analyze and
communicate our mental models. There are a lot of model experiments in Stella software.
Those models are mental model which are used to construct, simulate and relate the real
experiment. Stella models also allow you to communicate how a system works and know what
goes in, how the system is impacted and what the outcomes are. Stella software also supports
diverse learning styles with a wide range of storytelling features including diagrams, charts,
and animation. Mental models are those things we all necessarily carry around in our heads
that help us to:

(1) Make meaning out of what we experience

(2) Share and evolve that meaning by communicating with others

(3) Evaluate and decide upon appropriate courses of action.

Mental models are extremely important things. Learning to construct mental models that better
reflect the reality they seek to mimic, and learning to simulate them more reliably, are vital to
making your world, and our world, work more effectively. The aim of the STELLA software
is to accelerate and enrich these learning processes.

Application of simulation

I. Manufacturing
As markets for manufactured goods have become globalized, manufacturers have
increasingly attempted to mass customize their products. That is, they have sought
economies of scale by developing products that will have global appeal and should sell in
many countries. At the same time they have had to ensure that the products themselves are

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 suited to local preference, which means they have had to produce local variants of the global
design. This mass customization has placed great pressure on manufactures to develop and
install manufacturing systems that can deliver high volumes of high-quality goods at low
cost to meet local needs. This has led to huge investments in manufacturing plant and
associated control systems. It is important to ensure that such systems operate as intended,
and therefore computer simulation methods have found an important place in the process
of designing and implementing these manufacturing plant and systems.

Examples of this use of computer simulation occur across most manufacturing sectors and
include food manufacturing, semiconductor wafer fabrication, beverages, automobile
manufacture and materials handling. Simulation allows the comparison of alternative
designs and control policies on the model before starting to build the physical plant. It helps
to reduce the cost and risk of large-scale error. Simulation approaches are also used on
existing plant to find better ways to operate.

II. Health care

As with manufacturing, there is also a need to make effective use of limited resources when
providing and delivering health care. Thus, simulation approaches have found widespread
application in health care system around the world. The simulations such as the distribution
of antibiotics and vaccines to dispensing centres in the event of a terrorist attack, how the
methods were used to plan a system to move goods and equipment around a large new
hospital in an effective and efficient manner. Simulation is also used to assess the effect of
different treatment programmes. For examples, used simulation to investigate ways in
which the eyesight of diabetic patients can be more effectively preserved and used to assess
the value of paediatric immunization programmes.

III. Transport systems

Computer simulation is also used in a wide range of transportation systems. As with other
applications, the idea is to ensure that the system operates as efficiently and as effectively
as possible. In the aviation sector, simulation methods have, for example, been used to help
plan large passenger terminals. Airport terminals include systems for moving baggage and
for ensuring that passengers can get to the departure gates in time for their planes, and a
number of simulation have been used to assess their performance. Also in the aviation

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 sector, air traffic control systems are used to ensure that air space is used efficiently and
safely. As part of this, the air traffic controllers must ensure that the movement of aircraft
is planned in advance and then managed in real time. Simulation approaches have made a
great contribution to safer and more cost-effective air traffic control. The shipping sector
has also been a long-term user of computer methods. It is to support simulations of the
movement of crude and refined oil around the world. The road transport sector is also a
major user of computer simulation methods both to plan individual companies’ operations
and to investigate road traffic system in general. Traffic simulators are now a standard part
of the armoury of road traffic planners since they permit possible road configurations and
traffic management schemes to be refined before their physical implementation.

IV. Defence
The defence sector is also a major user of simulation methods. Applications range from
studies of logistic operations through to battle simulations, which investigate possible
strategies and tactics to be used in defence or attack. Their appeal here is obvious no battle
commander wishes to be defeated and the chance to develop tactics beforehand and to
prepare countermeasures is of some importance. Not surprisingly, the majority of defence
simulations are not reported in the open literature.

Graph of simulation

All of the graph shows above is the different of the example of simulation. The learning and
teaching process will become more interesting and effective when teacher using it. There is a
lot of benefits that teacher can get by using simulation as one of their teaching tools.
Simulations are low cost to create than the real life counter parts. Simulation is also easy to use
and less risky. Other than that simulation can be repeated over and over again whereas real life
cannot.

To the students, using the simulation can give them motivation. This motivation will develop
when using the simulation. The motivation that students will get is they will highly anticipate
learning more about the topic. The most important things when using teaching tools, teacher
must choose the one that can increase student interest and simulation is one of the best choices.
Then students involve in the activity they will be interested to learn more about the activity and
also the topic.

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Graph 1: Shows pattern of population when the number of mouse is 2000 and owl is 12

Graph 2: Shows pattern of population when the number of mouse is 2000 and owl is 16

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Graph 1: Shows pattern of population when the number of mouse is 2900 and owl is 12

We can assume based on the three graph about the relation between prey and predator. When
the prey is numerous their predators increase in numbers this then will reducing the
prey population which then make the number of predator to decreases. The relation is expected
to recover and starting a new cycle. According to the recent research, the predator and prey
systems are potentially unstable because predators often extinguish their prey and then starve.

Advantages of STELLA

I. Teachers
If there is one industry that literally exploded in development in recent years, that industry is
information technology. In recent years, IT has become a bigger part of the education with the
widespread of application in technology devices at schools. Teachers in schools are one of the
beneficiary from this education revolutionary. STELLA is one of the software that bring
changes in education for teachers, especially in science’s field.

STELLA allows the user to design and run a fairly elaborate model in only a fraction of the
time that is usually required without using a programming language. Therefore, it is easy for
science’s teacher who does not have any programming basic to be a good user when using this
software for simulation purpose.

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Simulation software is based on the process of modelling a real phenomenon with a set of
mathematical formulas. Essentially, a program allows the user to observe an operation through
simulation without actually performing that operation. Simulation software is used widely to
design equipment so that the final product will be as close to design specs as possible without
expensive in process modification.

STELLA takes advantages from the Macintosh graphic user interface by using symbols,
windows, and menus to design and run simulations. From the naturalness of the interface, it is
easier for the teacher to manipulate the graph created in teaching session. The teacher does not
have to waste time to create new graphs when the variables changes, that will only wasting
short precious teaching time in class. Teacher can easily adjust the variables and manipulate
the graph according to the syllabus desired when teaching and showing examples to the
students.

Nowadays students are more into IT, they are more interested to learn something with help of
IT, so when the teacher introduce STELLA to the students they will be more interested to focus
on the learning session. Therefore, process of transferring knowledge to the students is actively
happening during the class. The teacher can naturally engaged with the students when teaching
about simulation using the personal computer in laboratory. Students also are more understand
about the lesson when the graphic materials are easily manipulate, systematic and nicely
presented.

II. Students
One of the main advantages of using simulation in teaching and learning is the process of
teaching and learning becomes more interesting and exciting as the learners can explore
everything in various types of experiments. If they have the software of simulation, they can
explore it early when they are not in the class. The diagrams, graphs and colourful features can
make them more inspiring to study and discover a new thing. This can motivate the learner to
engage in the problem solving, hypothesis testing, and experiential learning and so on. Using
simulation in teaching and learning is really an effective method in order to motivate the
students and to gain their interest toward learning. Besides, it includes the ability of the
simulation to create a risk free environment and allow students to explore more.

Besides, simulation also can help the teachers to teach the abstract content to the students. It is
meant that, the simulation can make the student easy to understand as they can use the
simulation and not just imagine on what have been taught by the teacher.

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Simple analysis to predict something can be done by anyone. However, as the complexity of
the analysis increases, so does the need to employ computer-based tools. One of the tool is
simulation. With all the necessary study data, simulation can be useful in predicting the future
outcome. In a real life, no one can predict the future accurately, but we still can study the pattern
for the highest probability that it will occur. By using simulation, student can study the trend
of the outcome whenever they manipulate any variables. The outcome for an example form a
graph is usually observed over time. When the simulation is run in several times, students can
see the trend of the change in the graph. Beside, this software more provides a check on
intuition, and also provides a vehicle for building an understanding. To make the data in easier
transform, this tools also putting together in an organized and clear way to the qualitative and
quantitative approaches present in form of the CIR-DSS framework. Analysing and predicting
data using simulation can enhance students’ thinking skills and also problem solving skill.
Other than that, this process also can give student the introduction on how to do a research,
which they will do it in their higher level of education later.

Lastly, STELLA is a tool that enables an easier operation, demonstration and replication of the
CIRDSS. Sometimes, students are hard to understand science concept that literally cannot be
seen through the lens of their eyes. Therefore, they need some visualization to help them see
and understand the phenomenon or process occurs. That is why simulation is integrated in
teaching and learning science. To help students visualize and get a big picture of what they are
learning.

Disadvantages of STELLA

Although that simulation is seen having a good potential to be integrated in school in the future,
right now there are still some limitation in it. First, not every teacher is familiar with simulation.
To use simulations in class could be burden to them, as they need a long time to explore the
simulation. When the teachers do not really know how to use the simulation, they tend to spend
more time trying to explore it. Thus, this could lead to an environment of unsure teacher and
confused students. Therefore, without expertise in using simulation, it can be rather wasting
than saving times, as it should be.

Other limitation of simulation is that simulation can cause students to lack in manual science
process skill which is also important in real life. If learning process depends too much on

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simulations, then students will not be able to handle the manual process experiment
successfully. In science experiment, the way of measuring substances, how to handle the
apparatus, how to use microscope, correct way of taking reading are all these essential as a
basic scientific skill. Lacking of these skills can cause difficulty to students when they need to
do in real scientific experiment or research later. Simulation can give result, analyze data and
mimic into the real world process. But, simulation cannot develop students’ emotional and
intuitive awareness of the importance of what they have learned. Since simulation can simplify
many of the students’ work, students tend to not appreciate the knowledge and the value they
gain.

Furthermore, computer simulation cannot react to unexpected ‘subgoals’ which the student
may develop during a learning process. These sub-goals would be brought up during a teacher-
student interaction but they remain unsaid during the individual student use of a simulation.

The other disadvantages is the students that do not have computer or limited availability of
computers will not have the opportunity to explore after they have learnt in the class. Their
learning process will happen only in the class.

High cost of software also include as the disadvantage of the simulation, the teacher has to
spend about RM3000 to buy the software and share it to the students. Only the trial one can be
used by the users. But, after 30 days, it cannot be use anymore. Lastly, limited scope of
applicability and also limited flexibility. This is because the variation of the topics is not too
many. Some of them may not fix with the users specific.

Summary

Computer simulation method allow experimentation on a computer-based model of some

system. The model is built by carefully describing the ways in which the system changes state
and the rules that govern its dynamic behaviour. Using simulation in teaching and learning
have the potential to engage students in deep learning that will empowers understanding about
the whole topics. Simulation allow students to change parameter value and see what happen.
Therefore, they will see clearly the relationship among variables and can use model to predict
outcomes as they change the parameter, they can predict what will happen.

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References

Angela B. S. STELLA: Tutorial Wofford College Spartanburg, SC Retrieved 2018, 28 April

from http://chemistry.ncssm.edu/mc/opiates/resources/STELLA.pdf

Lean Leon. 2013. Introduction to STELLA Retrieved 2018, 28 April from

http://ceeserver.cee.cornell.edu/lwl3/cee3510/homework/STELLA%20intro(2013).pdf

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