Computer simulation models in environmental engineering education

The traditional lecture-based teaching process has been criticized as a passive knowledge delivery process with much room for improvement in the teaching-learning process. It is now recognized that one of the essential prerequisites for improving the teaching-learning process is active and interactive participation of the students, both in and out of the classroom. In this paper, computer simulation models are identified as an effective teaching aid to promote active participation between student and teacher as well as among students. Using a sample simulation model, the different ways in which models in general can be used to encourage active and interactive participation are discussed. It is concluded that the use of such computer simulation models is appealing to students with diverse learning styles.