TITLE :

Stella Software

OBJECTIVE:
Simulate a system over time
Jump the gap between theory and the real world
Enable students to creatively change systems
Teach students to look for relationships see the Big Picture
Clearly communicate system inputs and outputs and demonstrate outcomes

INTRODUCTION OF MODELING AND SIMULATION

Model and simulation has become part and parcel of advanced learning environment,
performance technologies and knowledge management systems. Model and simulation can
provide a foundation of an effective integration of teaching and learning. Modeling and
simulation is a discipline for developing a level of understanding of the interaction of the parts of
a system, and of the system as a whole. The level of understanding which may be developed via
this discipline is seldom achievable via any other discipline. A system is understood to be an
entity which maintains its existence through the interaction of its parts.
Modeling and simulation is a discipline, it is also very much an art form. One can learn
about riding a bicycle from reading a book. To really learn to ride a bicycle, one must become
actively engaged with the bicycle itself. Modeling and simulation follows much the same reality.

You can learn much about modeling and simulation from reading books and talking with other
people. Skill and talent in developing models and performing simulations is only developed
through the building of models and simulating them. It is very much a learn as you go process.
From the interaction of the developer and the models emerges an understanding of what makes
sense and what does not.
WHAT IS MODELING?
Modeling is the process of producing a model. A model is a representation of the
construction and working of some system of interest. A model is similar to but simpler than the
system it represents. One purpose of a model is to enable the analyst to predict the effect of
changes to the system. On the one hand, a model should be a close approximation to the real
system and incorporate most of its salient features. On the other hand, it should not be so
complex that it is impossible to understand and experiment with it. A good model is a judicious
trade off between realism and simplicity. Simulation practitioners recommend increasing the
complexity of a model iteratively.
An important issue in modeling is the model validity. Model validation techniques
include simulating the model under known input conditions and comparing model output with
system output.Generally, a model intended for a simulation study is a mathematical model
developed with the help of simulation software. Mathematical model classifications include
deterministic (input and output variables are fixed values) or stochastic (at least one of the input
or output variables is probabilistic), static (time is not taken into account) or dynamic (timevarying interactions among variables are taken into account). Typically, simulation models are
stochastic and dynamic.
A model is a simplified representation of the actual system intended to promote better
understanding. Whether a model is a good model or not depends on the extent to which it
promotes understanding. Since all models are simplifications of reality there is always a trade-off
as to what level of detail is included in the model. If too little detail is included in the model one
runs the risk of missing relevant interactions and the resultant model does not promote
understanding. If too much detail is included in the model, the model may become overly
complicated and actually preclude the development of understanding. One simply cannot
develop all models in the context of the entire universe.

WHAT IS SIMULATION?
A simulation of a system is the operation of a model of the system. The model can be
reconfigured and experimented with, usually, this is impossible, too expensive or impractical to
do in the system it represents. The operation of the model can be studied, and hence, and
properties 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 optimize system
performance. For instance, simulation can be used to answer several questions like, what is the
best design for a new telecommunication network?. A simulation generally refers to a
computerized version of the model which is run over time to study the implications of the
defined interactions. Simulations are generally iterative in the development. One develops a
model, simulates it, learns from the simulation, revises the model, and continues the iterations
until an adequate level of understanding is developed.

ADVANTAGES OF SIMULATION
Even when its practical to place students in real-life situations so that they can learn by
doing, its not always preferable. Simulations offer many key advantages over real life. One of
them is that simulation can boost student motivation. This is because the students are able to
explore the experiment by themselves. So that, it can help them to learnt more through this kind
of simulation. The students can carried out the experiment by their own and this situation can let
them to easily change and adjust the parameter given for more understanding. They also can
repeat the experiment for more than once. Students had the advantage of the simulation tools,
animations, and learning modules to get more insight into the theoretical contents of the course.
Students will have the opportunity to put a number of theoretical concepts into practice by

simply using the simulation. Besides that, learning through simulation can bring them to deep
learning too.
Students are able to make further prediction for certain cases by using simulation.
Sometimes, certain topics to be learnt by students cannot be done for real because of certain
reasons, so that, by using simulation they are able to make prediction for that topic easily. Thus,
learning by using simulation give many benefit for students such as the students will feel happy
to learnt something and the process of teaching and learning become more meaningful. The
students become very well motivated and interested in the course.
Simulations allow students to play with time in ways the real world does not permit.
Often, the real world moves so quickly that students do not have time to think things over as
much as they would like. However, in a simulation, if a student wishes to sit and ponder his
course of action, he can freeze the simulation, and perhaps even ask an expert some questions. If
a student is unclear as to why things turned out the way they did, we can allow him to loop back
in time and review the course of events. If events are moving too quickly, the student can slow
them down. Students can even decide to back time up so that can try a different approach.
Simulation can be used as an effective means for teaching or demonstrating concepts to
students. This is particularly true of simulation that make intelligent use of computer graphics
and animation. Such simulation dynamically show the behavioural and relationship of all the
simulated systems components, thereby providing the user with a meaningful understanding of
the systems nature. Consider again, for example, a circuit simulation. By showing the path taken
by signals as inputs are consumed by components and outputs are produced over their respective
fanout, the students can actually see what is happening within the circuit and is therefore left
with a better understanding for the dynamics of the circuit. Such a stimulation should also permit
students to speed up, slow down, stop, or even reverse a simulation as a means of aiding
understanding. This is particularly true when simulating circuits which contain feedback loops or
other operations which are not immediately intuitive upon an initial investigation.

Lastly, simulation also provide teachers with better access to students. Simulations can
be instrumented so that teachers can monitor students, waiting until students get into a jam that
indicates that they are ready to hear something the teacher wants to convey. In computer-based
simulations, the teachers themselves can automated, thereby making one teachers knowledge
available as needed to many individual students. In the full implementation of this idea, the
entire corporate memory of an organization, or all the experts in a various field, can come to the
fore, ready to tell their stories, in response to a situation that has occurred in practice within a
simulation.

EXPERIMENT USING STELLA SOFTWARE

Title:
Prey- Predator

Objective:
1) To study the prey- predator relationship.
2) To understand the population of an organisms in the ecosystem.

Introduction:
All living things within an ecosystem are interdependent. A change in the size of one
population affects all other organisms within the ecosystem. This is shown particularly clearly by
the relationship between predator and prey populations. Besides, there are mathematical models
of predation which is amongst the oldest in ecology. The Italian mathematician Volterra is said to
have developed his ideas about predation from watching the rise and fall of Adriatic fishing
fleets. When fishing was good, the number of fishermen increased, drawn by the success of
others. After a time, the fish declined, perhaps due to over-harvest, and then the number of
fishermen also declined. After some time, the cycle repeated. A predator is an organism that eats
another organism. Futhermore, the prey is the organism which the predator eats. Some examples

of predator and prey are lion and zebra, bear and fish, and fox and rabbit. These linkages are the
prime movers of energy through food chains and are an important factor in the ecology of
populations, determining mortality of prey and birth of new predators. In this simulation, we
study the relationship between lynx and hares. Lynx is the type of wild cat. While hares may be
looks like rabbit but they are not from rabbit family. Hares have 48 chromosomes while rabbit
only 44 chromosomes. Last but not least, the interaction between wild cat, lynx and rabbit- look
like, hares are called prey- predator relationship.

Lynx (Predator)

Hares (Prey)

Results:
1) Standard pattern of population when no lynx is harvest:

2) Pattern of population for lynx and hares when number of lynx harvest is 390:

3) Pattern of population for lynx and hares when number of lynx harvest is 750:

Discussion:
In this experiment we carries out 3 different pattern of population of hares and lynx.
From the graph, the red line represent population of lynx (predator), while blue line represent
hares (prey). The first experiment is standard pattern of population when no lynx harvest. When
there is no lynx is harvest, the population of lynx and hares are constant. Eventhough the number
of hares is much more lower than the number of lynx, the prey- predator relation seem constant
in this ecosystem throughout the years. In addition, there is no increasing or decreasing number
for both predator and prey. This things happened maybe because of less competition or no
environmental complexility between lynx population which is the lynx still have enough
nutrients need in their life. Then, the birth rate of hares can afford the needed from lynx.
The second, pattern of population for lynx and hares when number of lynx harvest is 390.
From the graph that we observed, there is a rapid change in the pattern of population for both
prey and predators. When the population of lynx slightly decrease at the beginning of
experiment, the population of the prey which is hares increase dramatically. When the population
of predator which is lynx start to increase back, population of hares also faced a small increases.
However when the population of lynx at the maximum number, the population of hares start to
decrease. This process continued and repeated.
The third is pattern of population for lynx and hares when number of lynx harvest is 750.
Due to a very large number of lynx harvest, the population of lynx faced a drastic drop. This
cause the population of hares to increase drastically. When the population of hares is big, this
promote an increase in lynx population due to abundance of food supply. When the number of
lynx population is maximum, the population of hares is the minimum. This minimum population
promote decreasing in lynx population due to limited food supply. This process continued and
repeated. As we can see, this simulation show a process that took many years to happen. To see
the increasing and decreasing for both lynx and hares population, it took about 15 years and
above. By using simulation, we can make a prediction many years ahead. This is one of the
advantages of using simulation.
The lynx act as a predator which is an animal that kills and eats other animals to get it
nutrients in daily life. A predator is a carnivores, which means they eat the meat of other animals.

Besides, the animals that being eaten by predators are called prey. A prey animal is usually
smaller and less powerful than the predator that eats it. The prey animals mostly herbivores,
which mean they eat only grasses and plant. All members of a species hunt the same animals for
prey, and all prey animals have the same predators as their enemies. In a given territory,
predators compete with each other for the prey animals available. Many predators live on land,
but they can be found in many different habitats, such as swamps, deserts, oceans, coral reefs,
and even your home or backyard.
Prey animals are constantly aware of the possibility of being attacked, and experience
fear of the predator or signs of its presence. Many animals are both predators and prey animals.
This means that while an animal is hunting for its food which refer to another animal, it can
become prey at any time if a larger predator attacks it. For prey, an encounter with a predator
means life or death. But for a predator, the only thing that is at stake is a meal.
Conclusion:
In a conclusion, this predator-prey modeling helps us to know about the predation in real
ecosystem. As the number of lynx increases, the number of hares will decreases. In this
experiment lynx act as a predator while hares act as a prey to balance the ecosystem. Modeling
the effects that predators have on habitats can help students realize that predators are not bad and
that they play an important role, or niche, in maintaining stable communities.

In conclusion, Stella software is suitable in teaching and learning. This is because it will
provide the students with a great idea about what they learn as the simulation will help them to a
better understanding about the topic. Other than that, when using the Stella software, students
will have the chance to discuss their finding with their friend because sometimes the result
appear to be something that we can argue. As we all know, most of the students will learn by
actively gaining knowledge from their experience, interpretation and also their interaction with
friends and also teachers. So using simulation as one of the method of learning is best way. Stella
software is seems to be easier for the students to use it and this simulation is interesting which

can attract the students to learn. The challenge is to ensure that simulation is used effectively to
enhance how and what children learn besides the interactive and interesting learning . Careful
planning is required for constructing a project to be purposeful and uses technology specially
computer simulations such as Stella in a constructive, real-world manner. Simulations do not
work on their own, there needs to be some structuring of the students interactions with the
simulation to increase effectiveness, as it was initiated through experimental model causing to
raise the quality and quantity of interactions with the Stella models. Hence, the important finding
of this simulation models such as Stella are used to expand students experience of experimental
science and should not be used as a substitution for basic understandings and intuitions which
one can promote students to higher level Stella model only when they learned the basic role of
Stella. In other words the Stella software is suitable for learning process if we follow all the basic
step learn through this simulation programme that we called it as Stella software.