In this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Brian Leventhal and Dr. Allison Ames provide an overview of "Monte Carlo simulation studies" (MCSS) in "item response theory" (IRT). MCSS are utilized for a variety of reasons, one of the most compelling being that they can be used when analytic solutions are impractical or nonexistent because…

A glass of water covered with a disk with a hole in it can be turned upside down without spilling the water in the glass, provided the hole is small enough and the disk is pressed against the rim of the glass. A quasistatic numerical simulation based on hydrostatic pressure and surface tension of water was used calculate the critical hole diameter…

Contribution: A didactic methodology, based on analytical expressions and experimental validation, to describe the process of abrupt current interruption in a series RL circuit, that considers real passive components and uses a toggle switch as disconnecting device. Background: In undergraduate courses, circuits adopted in transient analysis…

Due to low cost monte-carlo (MC) simulations have been extensively conducted in the area of educational measurement. However, the results derived from MC studies may not always be generalizable to operational studies. The purpose of this study was to provide a methodological discussion on the other different types of simulation methods, and run…

Learning practices in education are constantly evolving to provide high-quality education. One of the trends used to provide high-quality education is incorporating technological tools to teach and learn STEM concepts. Implementing physical manipulative tools and virtual manipulative tools in STEM classrooms positively influenced conceptual…

In today's society, student safety is the number one concern of school administrators. As such, the need to continuously think, practice, and grow as an educational leader charged with keeping students safe is of paramount importance. This action research aimed to increase school administrator self-efficacy in a community of practitioners during…

Two overlapping trends in the U.S. educational environment have given rise to this study: the changes in the demands placed on school principals over the past decade (Hess & Kelly, 2005; Davis, Darling-Hammond, LaPointe, & Meyerson, 2005; National Association of Secondary School Principals & National Association of Elementary School…

Purpose: In light of growing attention to promoting democratic learning opportunities in the EU and the US, this study provides insight into student opportunities to engage in the organisation of mock elections in Dutch high schools, and constraints that teachers identify in implementing mock elections. Approach: A survey study was conducted. One…

Using classical test theory and item response theory, this study applied sequential procedures to a real operational item pool in a variable-length computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to detect items whose security may be compromised. Moreover, this study proposed a hybrid threshold approach to improve the detection power of the sequential…

Here, we describe a free, web-based simulation of the lac operon, "LacOp," that is designed to enhance the learning of prokaryotic gene regulation and pathways in advanced high school and undergraduate genetics courses. This new electronic resource was created by a team of students in an advanced undergraduate course and is hosted online…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lecturers of higher learning institutions had to pivot quickly from face-to-face classes to online classes. The new normal of online teaching and learning challenged lecturers in keeping their students engaged, especially when teaching a language course that heavily focuses on the writing component. The purpose of…

The study of educational simulations at the secondary level has typically centered on programs that are competitive, shorter in duration, and characterized by their low fidelity, or a lack of realism. The resources required to hold longer, more immersive, and nuanced programs are often prohibitive for teachers of political science programs. As…

Clinical education standards for speech-language pathology and nursing programs indicate the need for students to gain experience with interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP). However, colleges not affiliated with hospitals struggle to offer experiences between healthcare disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study as…

The present article introduces and develops an educational tool as an interactive digital game for architectural design, allowing the architectural students to challenge their knowledge and experiences. The framework of this educational tool supports a serious open-ended game, which helps students get involved with the game through self-assessment…

During drug development, a biomarker is sometimes identified as separating a patient population into those with more and those with less benefit from evaluated treatments. Consequently, later studies might be targeted, while earlier ones are performed in mixed patient populations. This poses a challenge in evidence synthesis, especially if only…