Science becomes engaging when students know that what they learn in the classroom relates to their own lives and communities. This article describes a project in which students use field exploration and online software to design virtual solutions to improve the hydrology of their school yard. The project is called Teaching Environmental…

This article describes a lesson on the greenhouse effect in which students explore blackbody radiation and Wien's law. The lesson, which has been tested in a variety of high school physics classrooms, uses probeware and online simulations and combines two well-established instructional strategies: the 5E Learning Cycle (Bybee et al. 2006) and the…

Supporting elementary student understandings of ideas related to Earth's Place in the Universe (ESS1) can be challenging, especially given the large time and distance scales involved with many of the concepts. However, with effective use of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices, important concepts within this content domain…

Space has fascinated and intrigued humans of all ages since time immemorial, and continues to do so today. The natural curiosity is engaged when looking up into the sky, notice patterns among celestial objects such as the Sun, Moon, and stars, and wonder. Scientific understanding of those patterns has progressed immensely over the span of human…

Guided by the principles of learner-centered teaching methodology, a Second Life project is designed to engage students in active learning of virtual commerce through hands-on experiences and teamwork in a virtual environment. More importantly, an assessment framework is proposed to evaluate the learning objectives and learning process of the…

Describes how electronic games can help students of varying abilities in building hypotheses and in designing and conducting experiments. Reviews two simulation programs and provides suggestions for classroom instruction. (ML)

Describes a program which simulates the kinetic behavior of a "typical" enzyme. Program objectives, background to the kinetic model used in the simulation, major program features, typical results obtained, and a note on the availability of the program (written in BASIC for Commodore microcomputer) are included. (JN)

Provides brief descriptions of interactive tutorial and simulation programs for reading, writing, and mathematics; and of drill-and-practice courseware packages. (DMM)

A large class that must share one computer can still get the benefits of adventure/simulation software if students work in small groups. Teamwork stimulates sharing and cooperation. The importance of planning, useful peripherals, follow-up activities, and product information are included in this article. (IAH)

This critical review of 13 political science software simulations and tutorials rates the programs both by quality of presentation and by educational content. Courseware does have a truly interactive nature yet allows the student to be in an active mode of control. The software programs reviewed feature a variety of graphic, textual, and…

This courseware evaluation rates the Interior Design Simulator program developed by Orange Juice Software Systems. (This program--not contained in this document--allows the user to design a room of any shape with maximum dimensions of 14 x 26 feet.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (furniture arrangement) and hardware…

This courseware evaluation rates "The Place Setting Simulator" program developed by Orange Juice Software Systems. The courseware was rated by a team of home economists participating in a network designed to identify and evaluate courseware and disseminate reviews for vocational and technical teachers, media staff, and administrators.…

This courseware evaluation rates the "FloorPlan" program developed by the Learning Seed. (The program--not included in this document--allows room design and arrangement to be performed on the computer screen.) The courseware was rated by a team of home economists participating in a network for the dissemination of courseware reviews.…

Creating a stock market simulation for the classroom computer reinforces math skills and can help students gain a good sense of how current events affect the economy, how to manage money and understand profit and loss, and how to use spreadsheet software. (IAH)

An increasing number of non-statistical software packages are being written as supplementary instructional materials provided free or at low cost for economics principles textbooks. This paper reviews the software programs currently available as ancillary material to several major texts and compares what is available as a group against what should…