Both navigation and content can be made flexible in a new way. For educational use, this is obviously important as it opens the possibility for true WHAT-IF experimentation, turning the MM system into an electronic laboratory . The domain of geographic information systems , as a relatively young IT technology but with a considerable application potential and a rapidly growing demand for advanced training tools, is an ideal testbed for this approach.
Geographical concepts are clearly graphical with the map as the central paradigm.
At the same time, spatial processes in areas such as the environment, natural resources, demographics, or technological systems like transportation are dynamic processes. In GIS, the basic concept is one of location , of spatial distribution and relationship, basic elements are spatial objects, generally with a limited set of attributes and a small, if any, behavioral repertoire. The interactions between these elements and their evolution is based on complex, non-linear and often stochastic relationships which are functions of time and space. The linkage of spatially distributed dynamic models and GIS opens up a wide field of research and applications. Many spatially distributed dynamic processes exhibit rather complex behaviour that goes far beyond the analytical capabilities of traditional GIS systems.