Identifying critical decisions is one of the most challenging decision-making problems in real-world applications. In this work, we propose a novel Reinforcement Learning (RL) based Long-Short Term Rewards (LSTR) framework for critical decisions identification. RL is a machine learning area concerning with inducing effective decision-making…

We use a novel paradigm to examine the effect of language exposure and variable input on the acquisition of words in primary school--aged children. Children growing up with different languages and foreign or regional accents in their input might benefit from their experience with variability when learning new words from peers with unfamiliar…

Today more than ever before, we have access to new technologies which provide unforeseen opportunities for educators to pursue new innovations in online education. Pursuing innovation is a complex process! It starts with an idea, but that needs to be coupled with the right team of experts willing to take big risks and put in the hard work to build…

Effective disaster response requires time-critical decisions to get personnel and supplies to the right places as quickly as possible. Such operations are complicated by the need for coordination among multiple stakeholders. In this teaching brief, we describe a serious online game for humanitarian logistics courses called the "Disaster…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how community college nursing faculty with experience of virtual gaming simulation (VGS) from a community college in north central Texas describe the challenges and benefits of utilizing VGS as a teaching tool to help nursing students progress in the development of clinical judgment…

"Virtual Reality in Curriculum and Pedagogy" explores the instructional, ethical, practical, and technical issues related to the integration of immersive virtual reality (VR) in school classrooms. The book's original pedagogical framework is informed by qualitative and quantitative data collected from the first-ever study to embed…

In the age of computing, we rely on software to manage our days, from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep. Software predicts the future based on actualized data from the past. It produces procedures instead of experiences and solutions instead of care. Software systems tend to perpetuate a normalized state of equilibrium. Their application…

Virtual reality (VR) is the latest type of technology being developed and rapidly integrated into training environments. This study investigated students' intentions to use VR for training. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was expanded to include two factors that are relevant to using VR in a dynamic learning environment. A survey of 310…

This paper describes a web-based suite of simulation games that have the purpose to enhance the chemical engineering curriculum with business-oriented decisions. Two simulation cases are discussed whose teaching topics include closing material and energy balances, importance of recycle streams, price-volume relationship in a dynamic market, impact…

Virtual learning companions, such as avatars, have shown significant potential in assisting learners--particularly in the Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) condition. Since there are many avatar design approaches which can be utilized in DGBL, questions arise on which type of these are most preferred by learners. Mainly, in ensuring that the…

Computer games are considered a useful tool for educational purposes. Alternative media applications such as serious games combine edification with challenge and entertainment. Thus, learning becomes enjoyable, more comfortable, and more efficient. The paper presents the implementation of an educational computer game regarding traffic behavior…

The current socio-ecological challenges and phenomena that are major topics of geography education, like climate change and migration, are highly complex. Maturity in these contexts requires a networked way of thinking, and a systemic competence that is difficult to develop in geography classes alone. Digital games that simulate complex systems…

The three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality content is widely used for educational and training purposes, and there has been interest in how virtual reality environments influence users' learning effect. Analyzing survey data collected from a game play, this study examined how presence in a 3D virtual reality car driving simulation game impacts…

Investigations into the digital literacy practices supported by new forms of play can pose significant challenges insofar as researchers and educators lack theoretical frameworks nuanced or flexible enough to map the terrain being explored. In this paper the author presents a new hybrid model of ludic authorship which reconceptualises the…

Background: Previous work has identified that the benefits of learning with videogames and learning from simulations. However, recent meta-analytic work has also identified that little research directly compares learning with videogames and learning with simulations. Objectives: This study examines two learning technologies and their corresponding…