Imagine your students being able to simulate chemical reactions, gravitational models or even code lab experiments virtually, all from their desks, both at home and in the classroom. The use of coding and simulations within science education have become powerful tools for enabling student depth of understanding and the ability to explore their ideas in new ways. The digital skills used not only to bring science to life for students, but to enable computational thinking to form critical parts of modern education in today’s technology heavy world (Vasconcelos & Kim, 2022).

For science educators, there is a world of possibilities opened via the use of coding and simulations. Basic coding skills can aid students and teachers in making models to mimic processes, allowing hypotheses to be tested in ways impractical via physical experiments. An array of platforms for learning coding in a variety of languages and learning styles exist to enable even the least experienced teachers and students to develop skills in syntax and computational thinking, opening a world where teachers and students alike can begin to explore the application of coding where they may never have considered it previously. Be it programming electronic components or performing preliminary analysis before a laboratory practical to aid in experimental design, the applications are endless.

Simulations of all descriptions provide opportunities for students to interact with difficult to visualise concepts, be it interaction of waves, gravity and space travel, or interactions of proteins and catalysts, the depth and breadth of exploration available to students and teachers is almost endless. These tools provide new ways to convey concepts for teachers, allowing them to step away from static diagrams or verbal explanation and empower students to explore how various scientific phenomena behave. The ability to utilise these tools by teachers in everything from demonstrations to group work or independent learning brings out the natural scientific curiosity in students, fostering problem solving and experimentation.

The applications of these simulations and coding goes beyond writing code, it enables students to think like scientists, by breaking down problems and processing them logically, analysing outcomes and making refinements as they progress. Even this basic level of understanding can aid in helping teachers and students to see where these newfound skills can be applied.

To aid in the further development of these skills, below are some resources for both areas, providing platforms for education and some ideas for simulations that can be incorporated into classrooms.