Presents a Project WET water education activity. Students simulate the movement of water within the water cycle by role-playing a water molecule's movements. Students learn the states of water as it moves through the water cycle. (LZ)

Signal detection experiments with 21 college students suggest that streakiness is a property of auditory and visual discrimination in that correct and incorrect responses have a positive sequential dependency. Monte-Carlo simulations of observed data sequences suggest that streaky performance results from wavelike variations in perceptual and…

Analytical solutions for point and variance estimators of the mediated effect, the ratio of mediated to direct effect, and the proportion of the total effect mediated were determined through simulation for different samples. The sample sizes needed for accuracy and stability are discussed with implications for mediated effects estimates. (SLD)

A modification of Horn's parallel analysis is introduced that is based on the Monte Carlo simulation of the null distributions of the eigenvalues generated from a population correlation identity matrix. This modification reduces the tendency of the parallel analysis procedure to overextract or to extract poorly defined factors. (SLD)

Describes learnings originating from a simple pendulum simulation using "interactive physics" simulations. Discusses tension in the rope, acceleration of the pendulum bob, and initial displacements. (JRH)

Developed and tested the Safety Simulator, a new assessment of science teachers' knowledge of school lab safety management based on Interactive Videodisc Technology. Reports that reliability of scores for the four different categories of lab safety (physical facilities, chemicals, lab techniques, and students' behavior) were found to be moderate…

Five methods for testing the hypothesis of independence between two sets of variates were compared through simulation. Results indicate that two new methods, based on robust measures reflecting the linear association between two random variables, provide reasonably accurate control over Type I errors. Drawbacks to rank-based methods are discussed.…

This article describes a simulation activity in which students with deafness were "sold" and treated as slaves for half a day. Evaluation indicated that the "slaves" developed deeply negative feelings about slavery as they experienced the physical labor and personal humiliation involved in slavery, and "masters" felt uncomfortable treating…

Inservice workshops employing simulation exercises can effectively provide school board training. Such training encourages board members to view problems from numerous perspectives, develop confidence, and build camaraderie. Problem-solving simulation steps are outlined, and six sample scenarios are offered for consideration. (MLH)

Reviews development of standardized case simulations and treatment planning criteria by two nationwide panels of interdisciplinary mental health experts. Notes that simulations show promise as performance-based assessments of clinical judgment across profession, theoretical orientation, and other therapist variables. Discusses application of…

A method of comparing one-step M-estimates of location for heavy tailed distributions is proposed and investigated. Simulations indicate that the new procedure provides good control over Type I errors and has more power than do some other methods for dealing with heavy tailed distributions. (SLD)

In artificial life research, scientists use the principles of evolution to develop complex behaviors from simple elements. By creating lifelike processes, they are trying to understand real organisms and explore possibilities for life in other circumstances. Techniques used are diverse, including biological testing, robotics, and computer…

Case means and case failures in performance-based medical student evaluations were examined to evaluate the consistency of ratings made by two or more standardized patients (SPs) simulating the same case. Results demonstrate a need for caution in interpreting scores obtained from a case checklist completed by multiple SPs. (Author/MSE)

Describes a role-play exercise that offers an experiential means to teach counseling students about process consultation. Claims exercise provides an experiential framework for understanding the role of the consultant but also illustrates the complexity of interpersonal dynamics within an existing organization. (ABL)

This Monte Carlo simulation studied the relative power of 8 tests for sphericity in randomized block designs where sample size was small (10, 15, 20, and 30) and population covariance matrices of dimension-to-sample size ratio approached 1.0. The locally best invariant test demonstrated substantial power to detect departures from sphericity. (SLD)