Interaction Feedback Loop
Run the Interaction Feedback Loop MicroSim Fullscreen
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Description
This MicroSim visualizes the cognitive feedback loop that makes interactive learning so effective. The diagram shows the continuous cycle:
- Student adjusts parameter - The learner interacts with controls
- MicroSim updates visualization - The simulation responds in real-time
- Student observes change - Visual feedback is processed
- Brain forms hypothesis - Cognitive processing creates understanding
- Student tests new idea - The cycle continues with new exploration
The animation highlights each step in sequence, demonstrating how this continuous loop creates deeper engagement and learning compared to passive content consumption.
Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives
After using this MicroSim, students will be able to:
- Explain the five steps in the interactive learning feedback loop
- Describe why immediate feedback enhances learning retention
- Compare active learning (through interaction) with passive learning (reading/watching)
Classroom Activities
- Observe and Describe: Have students watch the animation and identify each step in their own words
- Personal Experience: Ask students to recall a time when hands-on experimentation helped them understand a concept better than reading alone
- Design Thinking: Challenge students to design their own simple interactive that would create this feedback loop for a concept they find difficult
Discussion Questions
- Why is the brain's "hypothesis formation" step important in the learning cycle?
- How does immediate feedback differ from delayed feedback (like waiting for a test grade)?
- What happens when one part of the loop is missing or weak?
References
- Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School
- Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development