Lecturing is a poor method of giving instruction for Army tasks, since it is suitable for only a small segment of learners and a small number of tasks. The APSTRAT (derived from "aptitude" and "strategies") model is designed to train men at many levels of aptitude and with wide differences in educational backgrounds for a…

A "model approach" to teacher education specifies the development of a model of an idealized learning environment. One way to create a model as a real entity as opposed to a written document is to operationalize model classrooms that exemplify the type of instruction desired. The model described here goes hand in hand with the university-based and…

This study discusses the effectiveness of the use of simulations in a social studies classroom. The purposes were to: (1) define a simulation; (2) discuss its origin and underlying educational philosophy that advocates its uses in the classroom; and (3) analyze the current literature available and answer some of the controversial questions posed…

This report discusses the importance of presenting qualitative, causally consistent models in the initial stages of learning so that students can gain an understanding of basic electrical circuit concepts and principles that builds on their preexisting ways of reasoning about physical phenomena, and it argues that tutoring environments must help…

Concerned with the general problem of the effectiveness of simulator training, this report reflects information developed during the conduct of aircraft simulator training research projects sponsored by the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard. Problems are identified related to simulator design, testing, and use, all of which impact upon…

Discussion of problems students have with learning about Newtonian dynamics and kinematics focuses on the assumption that learning is promoted through confronting students with their own misconceptions. A computer-based modelling environment--DYNLAB--is explained, and a study conducted with high school boys in Scotland to test it is described. (29…

This article considers the use of a learning environment, RoboCell, where manipulations of objects are performed by robot operations specified through the learner's application of mathematical and spatial reasoning. A curriculum is proposed relating to robot kinematics and point-to-point motion, rotation of objects, and robotic assembly of spatial…

Negotiation skills are essential in everyday life, whether in a professional or personal context. Negotiation enables two parties to address misunderstandings and avoid conflicts through an exchange that depends as much on the interpersonal skills of the negotiators as the tactics employed. Acquiring these skills requires not only sound conceptual…

An environmental simulation laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, is testing the adequacy of different techniques for simulating environmental experiences. Various levels of realism, with various costs, are available in different presentation modes. The simulations can aid in communication about and the resolution of environmental…

Leading-edge technologies, integrated with emerging educational methodologies, make the Advanced Learning Environment (ALE) model cost effective and efficient for learning. The ALE integrates virtual reality and other enabling technologies such as natural language processing, animation, video, courseware, sound, projection, CD-ROM, and distance…

Laboratory simulations combine the strengths of lab experiments and field studies while avoiding many of their liabilities. They permit the emotional involvement, the time needed for development of norms and interlocked systems of interaction, and the broad range of variables typical of field settings, yet allow for experimental controls and…

The purpose of this project was to re-educate veteran teachers to understand and conceptualize child-centered, informal education as preparation for a new, open-architecture setting. The first phase of the project consisted of a needs assessment; the second, of three training days for teachers. Training covered interpersonal relations skills,…

An effort to construct a model of the thermal properties of materials based on theoretical thermo-electromagnetic models, to construct a data base of the dense cultural hospital scene according to Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center (DMAAC) specifications, and to design and implement a program to evaluate the tonal model and generate imagery…

In a 1973 Smithsonian behavioral science project, observational methods were used to record school group behaviors during docent guided tours in the National Museum of History and Technology. The purpose of this exploratory study was to reveal the natural museum habitat and criterion behaviors of visiting fourth through sixth graders. Children's…

Simulation, defined as a representational model of a particular theory, has been the subject of some research in the communication field, but there has been little material published on the uses of simulation as a research tool. Simulations are considered helpful in closing gaps between field studies and laboratory research, serving to increase…