Presents results of a 1991 national survey conducted in The Netherlands that investigated the use of computer-assisted learning (CAL) in higher education. Topics addressed include academic disciplines using CAL; types of CAL, including drills, tutorials, and simulations; level of learner control; authoring languages and programing languages; and…

Describes a project that uses a computer and a dot matrix printer to simulate the holographic recording process of simple object structures. The process' four steps are (1) superposition of waves; (2) representing the superposition of a plane reference wave on the monitor screen; (3) photographic reduction of the images; and (4) reconstruction of…

Utilizes a quasiexperimental design to examine the impact of microcomputer simulations on environmental problem solving by community college students. The experimental group of students (n=34) showed a highly significant improvement in problem-solving skills after being exposed to three simulation models that focused on lake pollution analysis,…

Discusses virtual reality (VR) technology and its possible uses in military training, medical education, industrial design and development, the media industry, and education. Three primary applications of VR in the learning process--visualization, simulation, and construction of virtual worlds--are described, and pedagogical and moral issues are…

Information on student learning in terms of amount and efficiency when using interactive video instead of traditional laboratory methods as well as questions on the use of live animals for instruction is provided. The methods, results, discussion, and summary are included. (KR)

This study of 40 undergraduates examined whether aiding as cognitive support (i.e., offering computer users knowledge they are missing) can supplement lack of knowledge and capacity under tasks with high mental loading, such as dealing with irregularities in process control. Users of a railway traffic control simulator dealt better and faster with…

Describes the objectives and format of a course developed at the University of British Columbia (Canada) that was designed to introduce information technology to preservice science teachers. Sample student microcomputer-based laboratory projects are described that include computer simulations, multimedia presentations, and videodiscs; and…

Illustrates the possibilities and educational benefits of virtual learning environments (VLEs), based on experiences with "Thirst for Knowledge," a VLE that simulates the workplace of a major company. While working in this virtual office world, students walk through the building, attend meetings, read reports, receive e-mail, answer the telephone,…

Presents experience-based pedagogical designs, both first-person and third-person experiences, which make the most of information and communication technology. Highlights include goal-based learning; Web-based role-play simulation; rule-based computer simulations; case studies; distributed problem-based learning; critical incident…

This study investigated potential differences in learning between two instructional activities: reading from a text and using a computer simulation. Participants were undergraduate students with limited knowledge of the domain topic (project management). Participants in both conditions (Simulation and Text) improved equally on a decontextualized,…

Teaching is a moral and educational enterprise. Therefore, teachers are expected to explain and justify the instructional methods and designs they use in their teaching to demonstrate how they meet the moral and educational ends of the teaching enterprise. To justify the use of particular instructional methods and designs goes beyond giving a…

Researchers and teacher educators have called for contextualizing the learning of pedagogy and content within the complex context of schools. This account provides an overview of a web-based simulation called Sim-School[C] that provides a realistic framework for students to contextualize curricular decisions, differentiate instruction and reflect…

ProbLab is a probability-and-statistics unit developed at the Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University. Students analyze the combinatorial space of the 9-block, a 3-by-3 grid of squares, in which each square can be either green or blue. All 512 possible 9-blocks are constructed and assembled in a "bar…

This study was designed to examine the effects of the competency (low vs. high) and interaction type (proactive vs. responsive) of pedagogical agents as learning companions (PALs) on learning, self-efficacy, and attitudes. Participants were 72 undergraduates in an introductory computer-literacy course who were randomly assigned to one of four…

New developments in technology, irrespective of the fields. These have a potential role to play in the field of education and training, especially distance education, to transform it into an interactive paradigm. These can provide education beyond the boundaries of a nation and/or state making it accessible to learners at their own pace. These are…