Pre-laboratory tasks are a best practice for preparing students for learning in the laboratory. Virtual labs, which use virtual reality to place students in an emulation of a physical laboratory where they have the capacity to manipulate equipment and materials as approximations of scientific practice, are emerging as an alternative to the…

The aims of this study are: (1) to develop iPad-based computer simulations called iSimPhysics that can help people learn Newtonian physics concepts; and (2) to assess its educational benefits and pedagogical usefulness. To facilitate learning, iSimPhysics visualizes abstract physics concepts, and allows for conducting a series of computer…

Phase changes in water are experienced in everyday life but students often struggle to understand mechanisms that regulate them. Human thermal comfort is closely related to humidity, evaporative heat loss and heat transfer. The purpose of the present study is to assist students in the evaluation of human thermal comfort. Such a goal is achievable…

This paper reports the findings of a study of student attitudes and student improvement in conceptual understanding using conceptests with an electronic response system in lecture courses. Students and instructors valued the feedback and interaction that the response system afforded. For a majority of the chemistry topics studied, student…

The dual purpose of this article is to provide a synthesis of the findings related to the use of computer simulations in physics education and to present implications for teachers and researchers in science education. We try to establish a conceptual framework for the utilization of computer simulations as a tool for learning and instruction in…

This annotated bibliography consists of 25 items on wide variety of topics related to the instructional uses of computers in secondary and college level science. Several research studies are also included. (JN)

Presented are simple programs in BASIC and FORTRAN to apply the method of least squares. They calculate gradients and intercepts and express errors as standard deviations. An introduction of undergraduate students to such programs in a chemistry class is reviewed, and issues instructors should be aware of are noted. (MP)

Described is a series of five related microcomputer-based laboratory analysis programs that are used by students in a college calculus-based physics course. With minor modifications these programs, which are written in BASIC, could be used in most beginning undergraduate laboratory science courses. (RH)

Described is a microcomputer software program NUCLEAR REACTIONS designed for college level students and in use at Sweet Briar College (Sweet Briar, VA). The program is written in Microsoft Basic Version 2.1 for the Apple Macintosh Microcomputer. It introduces two conservation principles: (1) conservation of charge; and (2) conservation of nucleon…

This software review focuses on five concept-related packages of programs in the Apple version and are viewed as well-written in terms of both educational sophistication and programing expertise. (MP)

The pedagogy, logistics, and administration of computers in chemical education at the college level is detailed. (MP)

A program called PROBLEM is detailed. It is a framework program built around a module structure that helps to make the development of computer-supervised drill much more manageable. It is viewed as an efficient approach in substantial areas of instruction in science and engineering. The material is entirely written in BASIC. (MP)

Described is a Monte-Carlo method for modeling physical systems with a computer. Also discussed are ways to incorporate Monte-Carlo simulation techniques for introductory science and mathematics teaching and also for enriching computer and simulation courses. (RH)

Discusses a study that assessed how students felt about computers and how they perceived computers performed as instructional tools. A majority of the tested students indicated that the computer was a useful tool in their chemistry classes, that the labs were realistic, but computer grading should not be used. (ML)

Details are provided about project SERAPHIM which is aimed at setting up a model system for dissemination of instructional materials in chemistry. Many of the instructional modules that will be handled by the project will be computer-based, with an emphasis on microcomputer-based materials. (MP)