Debriefing is a critical part of successfully implementing educational computer-based simulation games to maximize learning outcomes. Simulation game effectiveness, regarding exploring gaming characteristics and cognitive and affective impacts, has been thoroughly researched. However, debriefing is overlooked by some as time-consuming and…

The rise of online courses has created an ongoing demand for instructional designers in higher education. Collaboration between faculty and instructional designers in developing online engineering courses has therefore increased. Potential challenges during the collaboration can be addressed when faculty and instructional designers have a mutual…

Students nowadays grow up with electronic devices and are adept at navigating the virtual world. Practical activities may be more of a novelty for them than simulations. Using the topic of electric circuits as a context, we examined the ways in which Grade 11 students perceived and learned from practical work and simulations, respectively. In this…

We describe the development and evaluation of a virtual steel sculpture for engineering education. A good connection design requires the engineer to have a solid understanding of the mechanics and steel behavior. To help students better understand various connection types, many schools have acquired steel sculptures. A steel sculpture is a…

The article discusses current evaluation methodologies used to assess the usability, user enjoyment, and pedagogical efficacy of virtual learning environments (VLEs) and serious games. It also describes the evaluations of two recently developed projects: a virtual learning environment that employs a fantasy 3D world to engage deaf and hearing…

Ecological ponds can be a good teaching tool for science teachers, but they must be built and maintained properly to provide students with a safe and suitable learning environment. However, many schools do not have the ability to build and maintain an ecological pond. This study used virtual reality technology to develop a web-based virtual…

The objective of this article is to investigate the computer animation and virtual reality technologies for developing a virtual marine museum. The museum consists of three exhibition areas. The first area displays fishes in freshwater, including creeks, rivers, and dams in Taiwan. The second area exhibits marine ecology and creatures of different…

Describes the use of computer simulations and related computer-based instruction (CBI) lessons on the NovaNET (formerly PLATO) system in the early childhood preservice teacher education program at the University of Georgia. NovaNET lessons are described, statistics generated from user lessons are reported, and implications for teacher education…

Describes a study that investigated whether an advance organizer could facilitate learning in a computer simulation environment using HyperCard. It examined the differential effectiveness of an advance organizer across three different grade levels--fifth, sixth, and seventh. Analyses of data showed significant differences between the organizer and…

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…