What theories support the creating the physical models?

Using the name directly, to search Driscoll’s book, this word appears in Chapter of Mental models. Using physical model is an effective way to build mental models(or sometimes it is called phenomena, ?? Other names, a simplified model of the real system).

It remains to see how different physical models play a role in different fields, a lot more research are needed for finding out. The most familiar physical models for us are the planet-models, the earth, the moon, the space-ship-looking-out simulations. The other one is the: animating a cell, in the TED talks.

In the same chapter, reasoning with analogy was mentioned. Many physical models are built with integrating metaphors/analogies, especially when no direct physical features can be seen directly, can be proved directly. Then, seeing the sign activity along human’s history (semiotics), how the first written language look like, and how a kid learns language from the birth, how a novice learn in a new field(Bruner’s multiple mode) .

Vygotsky’s internalization of the languages. Multiple-mode of memory. Gagne’s learning outcome hierarchy: the discrimination based on sensory input, and then concrete concept, then defined concept, and then rule, and complicated rule. All later stuff based the initial sensory inputs, the creating of the sensory discrimination.

Again back to the ways that people acquire the sensory discrimination, either there are direct ways to get them, or tools/methods are needed to get them.

For some, the X-ray, the telescope, the microscope, or other visualization tools can help, and can make it. For others, even these tools are not enough to see the truth, the elephant, metaphors/analogies have to be used to create the physical models that provide us the sensor discrimination. Making sense of = understanding, understanding must rely on the creating sensory-info, the physical features behind the knowledge. Otherwise, the reasoning/understanding stays on the superficial level.