Simulations: How are they useful in an educational setting?

I think that simulations are useful because they can allow you to do things that you might not otherwise be able to do. I remember doing simulations in history class without technology but it allowed me to really understand what it was like for the people during the time period we were studying. I think that simulations can be very helpful for my math classes, especially since I can use technology to create simulations. Many times it is difficult to illustrate properly concepts on the board, especially if it involves three-dimension objects. If I am able to simulate concepts on a computer I think students can get a better grasp on a topic. For instance with integrals, I can draw rectangles of different numbers to illustrate that the more there are the closer to the actual area it is, but if I have a computer program that can more accurately illustrate that concept, more students might be able to understand integrals. I think that simulations are also helpful because students learn in so many different ways. The more ways you can use to teach a subject the greater possibility you have of reaching all the students and helping them understand the information.