This paper reports a study conducted to formally evaluate a social problem-solving skills game during the start of the development to ensure that the desired game attributes were successfully embodied in the final game. Two methods, heuristic evaluation and participatory design, were adopted to assess whether the features of the game pose…

This study explored the potential of digital games as learning environments to develop mindsets capable of dealing with complexity in the domain of sustainability. Building sustainable futures requires the ability to deal with the complex dynamics that characterize the world in which we live. As central elements in this system, we must develop the…

The objects-first strategy to teaching programming has prevailed over the imperative-first and functional-first strategies during the last decade. However, the objects-first strategy has created added difficulties to both the teaching and learning of programming. In an attempt to confront these difficulties and support the objects-first strategy…

Audio-based virtual environments have been increasingly used to foster cognitive and learning skills. A number of studies have also highlighted that the use of technology can help learners to develop effective skills such as motivation and self-esteem. This study presents the design and usability of 3D interactive environments for children with…

Urges teachers of gifted students to allow students unstructured recreational computer time in the classroom to encourage student exploration and discovery, to promote creativity, to develop problem-solving skills, and to allow time to revisit programs and complete their own tasks. Different types of educational computer programs are referenced.…

The number and range of instructional resources in mathematics and science education can be overwhelming to educators. The chief mission of The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC) is to help educators sort through the confusion by identifying relevant resources such as print materials, software, kits, and…

Some commercially available software tools that have potential applications in the analytical chemistry curriculum are surveyed and evaluated. Tools for instruction, analysis and research, and courseware development are described. A list of the software packages, the compatible hardware, and the vendor's address is included. (KR)

Addresses the question of how far superficial aspects of software can affect the performance of girls and boys on computer-based problem-solving tasks. Finds, in two tests, a significant gender by software interaction, with girls' performances being highly influenced by the software version. Suggests that children's response to computers are…

Describes an interactive problem-solving videodisc program designed for the middle schools. Explains the interdisciplinary nature of the program that includes information from astronomy, geology, history, and meteorology. Contends that the product is an excellent example of well-designed educational software. (CFR)

The growing interest in the field of educational technology in the design of constructivist learning environments has led to a renewed examination of problem-based learning (PBL), an approach to instruction in which all learning results from students' efforts to solve a complex problem. Concurrent advances in technology make it possible to use…

Selected examples using the statistical packages Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), the Statistical Analysis System (SAS), and BMDP are presented to facilitate their use and encourage appropriate uses in: (1) a hierarchical design; (2) a confounded factorial design; and (3) variance component estimation procedures. To illustrate…

Computers running appropriate software hold great promise for teaching and learning mathematics. To this end, SRI International developed an integrated, computer-based problem solving environment called "Math Insight" that included interactive tools, such as a spreadsheet and dynamic geometric sketches, and professionally produced videos used to…

This practicum was designed to solve a problem related to the provision of a computer training component for students enrolled in an early childhood education teacher training program. Increasing pressures on graduates of the training program to integrate computers and educational software into programs for young children as well as the students'…

A science classroom was used to study the effects of a shared intranet environment on students' problem-solving ability and metacognitive reflection skills through shared contextualization. Subjects were first-time 9th- and 10th-grade biology students from three public high schools. An evaluative analysis of the CourseInfo software (Blackboard,…

High school physics offers opportunities to use problem solving and lab practices as well as cement skills in research, technical writing, and software applications. Describes and evaluates computer software enhancing the high school physics curriculum including spreadsheets for laboratory data, all-in-one simulators, projectile motion simulators,…