Curriculum prerequisite networks have a central role in shaping the course of university programs. The analysis of prerequisite networks has attracted a lot of research interest recently since designing an appropriate network is of great importance both academically and economically. It determines the learning goals of the program and also has a…

Simulation studies use computer-generated data to examine questions of interest that have traditionally been used to study properties of statistics and estimating algorithms. With the recent advent of powerful processing capabilities in affordable computers along with readily usable software, it is now feasible to use a simulation study to aid in…

Realistic response rate expectations are important for successfully allocating and managing data collection efforts under limited resources. Interviewer performance is often evaluated against response rate standards, and face-to-face interviewer performance can vary due to, in part, the socioeconomic characteristics of the neighborhoods in which…

In this article, we propose the concept of "Autonomic Cycle Of Learning Analysis Tasks" (ACOLAT), which defines a set of tasks of learning analysis, whose objective is to improve the learning process. The data analysis has become a fundamental area for the knowledge discovery from data extracted from different sources. In the autonomic…

There are many unethical and illegal behaviors that take place in Second Life. This article offers several scenarios which represent some of these behaviors, including copyright infringement. It is hoped that the reader will understand how copyright infringement fits in with other unethical behaviors in Second Life. (Contains 20 resources.)

Educational versions of Millikan's oil-drop experiment have frequently been criticized; suggestions for improvement either focus on technical innovations of the setup or on replacing the experiment by other approaches of familiarization, such as computer simulations. In our approach, we have analysed experimental procedures. In doing so, we were…

Although screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) has been a popular model to address potential substance abuse issues in primary care, there is a need for innovative approaches for training providers and staff on SBIRT protocols. An interdisciplinary approach to SBIRT training, named ICARE, was implemented at 3 different…

Visual word identification requires readers to code the identity and order of the letters in a word and match this code against previously learned codes. Current models of this lexical matching process posit context-specific letter codes in which letter representations are tied to either specific serial positions or specific local contexts (e.g.,…

Much recent psychometric literature has focused on cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs), a promising class of instruments used to measure the strengths and weaknesses of examinees. This article introduces a genetic algorithm to perform automated test assembly alongside CDMs. The algorithm is flexible in that it can be applied whether the goal is to…

This paper describes a forensic science simulation programme applicable for use in colleges. Students were asked to find a putative suspect by DNA fingerprinting using a simple protocol developed in this study. DNA samples were obtained from a hair root and a drop of blood, common sources of DNA in forensic science. The DNA fingerprinting protocol…

This article introduces "expertise-based training" (XBT) as an instructional design theory that draws on the theories, findings, and methods of expertise research in order to create instructional strategies that can hasten the development of advanced learners into experts. The central tenants of XBT are: 1) Key cognitive sub-skills that…

Taxometric procedures provide an empirical means of determining which psychiatric disorders are typologically distinct from normal behavioral functioning. Although most disorders reflect extremes along continuously distributed behavioral traits, identifying those that are discrete has important implications for accurate diagnosis, effective…

In this classroom simulation of a crime, students take on the challenge presented in the article To Catch a Thief. Students witnessing a surprising event learn to question the nature of how criminals get identified and generate ideas about how criminals can be better identified. A key component of the evidence is an unusual distinguishing…

Discusses computer simulations in science education and presents the results of a study of 39 ninth-grade earth-science students to determine the effects of computer-simulated mineral identification activities on test performance. Results indicated no difference in test scores between the group using real minerals and the group using a computer…