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Chapters

This textbook is organized into 14 chapters covering 242 concepts.

Chapter Overview

  1. Introduction to Educational MicroSims - Foundational concepts defining what MicroSims are, their characteristics, and essential programming fundamentals.

  2. Web Development Essentials - HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics, browser tools, and version control with Git and GitHub.

  3. Getting Started with p5.js - Introduction to the p5.js library including canvas creation, coordinate systems, and the setup()/draw() functions.

  4. Drawing, Animation, and Color - Drawing primitives, shape rendering, text display, animation loops, and color theory.

  5. Leveraging Generative AI - Large language models, prompt engineering, AI code generation, and understanding AI limitations.

  6. MicroSim Architecture and Layout - Structural organization including drawing regions, control regions, and layout patterns.

  7. User Interface Controls and Events - Interactive controls, mouse and keyboard events, and user interaction patterns.

  8. Responsive Design Techniques - Dynamic sizing, windowResized() handling, and coordinate transformations.

  9. Bloom's Taxonomy and Learning Objectives - The six cognitive levels and matching educational goals to MicroSim types.

  10. Charts, Diagrams, and Infographics - Mermaid.js diagrams, Chart.js library, and declarative layout approaches.

  11. Maps, Networks, and Timeline Visualizations - Geographic maps with Leaflet.js, network graphs, and timeline visualizations.

  12. Metadata, Packaging, and Quality - Dublin Core metadata standards, file packaging, and the 100-point quality rubric.

  13. Pedagogy, Assessment, and Accessibility - Cognitive load theory, PRIMM methodology, accessible design, and WCAG guidelines.

  14. Professional Development and Capstone - iframe integration, licensing, collaboration workflows, and capstone project requirements.

How to Use This Textbook

This textbook is designed for a 14-week undergraduate course. Each chapter builds on concepts from previous chapters, with dependencies carefully managed to ensure you have the prerequisite knowledge before encountering advanced topics. We recommend completing chapters in order, as later chapters assume familiarity with earlier material. Each chapter includes a list of concepts covered from the learning graph.

Note: Each chapter includes a list of concepts covered. Make sure to complete prerequisites before moving to advanced chapters.

Additional Resources