This report describes and evaluates the K-12 driver and traffic safety education program at the Des Moines (Iowa) public schools. Four perspectives are evaluated: context, input, process, and product. The school district's mission, the program's philosophy, and the supervisor's viewpoint are outlined. The current program and its course content is…

This paper describes an item response theory (IRT) based method of differential item functioning (DIF) detection that involves neither separate calibration nor ability grouping. IRT is used to generate residual scores, scores free of the effects of person or group ability and item difficulty. Analysis of variance is then used to test the group…

A business English course taught to adults in Ukraine is described, focusing on the classroom approach that incorporates imaginative continuous simulations and critical analysis tasks. It is noted that simulations ordinarily in business English courses have two shortcomings: they are disconnected episodes; and the situation, conditions, and…

This personal finance guide assists teachers and curriculum committees in the selection of appropriate materials. The listings follow a common format: title; a brief description of the materials; the areas covered; the cost of materials; and information on how to obtain them. Materials cover the following areas: financial planning; purchase of…

At Concordia College's Institute of German Studies (Minnesota), an immersion program, a 1-month course entitled "German in the Business World" concentrates on development of written and oral communication skills needed in firms dealing with German-speakers. As part of its emphasis on banking, insurance, and business, the course includes…

This collection of 116 papers begins with 5 presentations on the general theme of computer literacy and intelligent computer assisted instruction, and covers a wide variety of topics related to training and education at all grade levels. The remaining papers are divided according to special interest group categories: (1) computer-based training;…

Designed to create an awareness of health problems among children in Third World settings, the board game uses simulation and role playing to help participants identify the symptoms and consequences of six childhood diseases preventable by vaccination: measles, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and tuberculosis. The game also helps…

Arranged in two sections, this paper details a project for incorporating ongoing economics study into a sixth-grade curriculum by creating an imaginary economic system. Section 1 highlights the main activities of the project, which include the following. A money system, based on units of 12 to enhance multiplication skills, was instituted, with…

This report describes a simulation of adults' retrieval of arithmetic facts from a network-based memory representation. The goals of the simulation project are to: demonstrate in specific form the nature of a spreading activation model of mental arithmetic; account for three important reaction time effects observed in laboratory investigations;…

This publication is about imagination, teamwork, creativity, and a host of other ingredients required to carry out a dream. It is about going into space--going into space as part of a simulated space shuttle mission. The publication highlights two simulated shuttle missions cosponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)…

Bafa Bafa is a cross-culture simulation exercise developed by R. Garry Shirts. It is designed for administrators, faculty, and students who are in situations that require an experiential understanding of another culture. After participants are given a brief orientation to the exercise, they are divided into two groups or "cultures." They are then…

A classroom technique called "ubertragung," used for exercise and evaluation of oral communication, is explained as it is applied in a course in business German for native speakers of Norwegian. Learners read a text in Norwegian containing information relevant to the study of German for international trade. Later, students use the…

This digest considers the role of personal computers in the education of gifted students. There is evidence that students are working "smarter," whether they are learning and using more information, understanding key concepts and relationships better, or developing higher level thinking skills. Research findings concerning the specific…

A guide to mutual gains bargaining (MGB) is presented for faculty union leaders and college administrators, as well as school systems. MGB is based on applied behavioral sciences concepts and the use of bargaining teams and emphasizes problem-solving and improving communications and campus relationships. Two different uses of the mutual gains…

The present research addresses the issues of whether there exist certain cognitive skills that facilitate transfer, and whether such skills are themselves transferable across domains. Of primary concern is the instructability of such skills. The Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation Project (STACI) is a two-year research project testing the…