Strategies to avoid the penalties of extra variation described by J. Cornfield and reduced degrees of freedom in community-level trials were compared in Monte Carlo simulations. The three conditions necessary to ensure nominal Type I and Type II error rates are detailed. (SLD)

The Community Land Use and Economics Simulation was tested in a U.S. and a Slovak university. Cultural differences in players' approaches appeared: the competitive aspects came more naturally to U.S. players; resource inequities, planning, and visioning were addressed differently. Materials developed for use in cross-cultural contexts should have…

Describes an activity that uses a simulation of glacial movement to stimulate middle school students' interest in geology. (JRH)

Provides asymptotic formulas for the standard errors of parameter estimates from the NOHARM computer program for restricted and unrestricted rotated models, using large-sample theory, and a goodness-of-fit test of the model. Used simulation to show that results from NOHARM are comparable to the three-stage estimator of B. Muthen (1993). (SLD)

The Equipment Replacement simulation game can be used to explain the different effects of various equipment buy/sell strategies on the economic performance of construction companies. The probabilistic aspect of demand in the construction market is incorporated. The game is implemented using Excel and Visual Basic for Applications. (Author/SK)

This study evaluated computer assisted instruction in social skills using hypothetical animated social situations. Evaluation with eight preschool children with autism (and eight matched normal children) suggested the program's potential for teaching problem-solving skills to children with and without autism. Children with autism were…

Discuses the Student Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (SPICOL), a week-long university interdisciplinary simulation exercise in which students take the role of government officials, lobbyists, researchers, and news reporters. Notes journalism students report, edit, publish, and broadcast for their campus station Radio Pasifik and the special…

Shows how one can combine a large-scale planned variation experimental design and multilevel analysis to address research questions that go beyond the issue of overall treatment effectiveness. Uses data from a simulated field experiment to describe the multilevel models that can be used. (SLD)

Imposed a two-level regression model on the ability parameters in an item response theory (IRT) model. Uses a simulation study and an empirical data set to show that the parameters of the two-parameter normal ogive model and the multilevel model can be estimated in a Bayesian framework using Gibbs sampling. (SLD)

Conducted a simulation study of differential item functioning (DIF) to compare the power and Type I error rates for two conditions: using an examinee's ability estimate as the conditioning variable with the CATSIB program and either using the regression correction from CATSIB or not. Discusses implications of findings for DIF detection. (SLD)

LYDIAN is an environment to support the teaching and learning of distributed algorithms. It provides a collection of distributed algorithms as well as continuous animations. Users can combine algorithms and animations with arbitrary network structures defining the interconnection and behavior of the distributed algorithm. Further, it facilitates…

Participants in 2 experiments interacted with computer simulations designed to foster understanding of scientific principles governing complex adaptive systems. The quality of participants' transportable understanding was measured by the amount of transfer between 2 simulations governed by the same principle. The perceptual concreteness of the…

Fit indexes were compared with respect to a specific type of model misspecification. Simple structure was violated with some secondary loadings that were present in the true models that were not specified in the estimated models. The c2 test, Comparative Fit Index, Goodness-of-Fit Index, Incremental Fit Index, Nonnormed Fit Index, root mean…

Complete response vectors of all answer options in multiple-choice items can be used to estimate ability. The rising selection ratios criterion is necessary for scoring individuals because it implies that estimated ability always increases when the correct alternative is selected. This paper introduces the generalized DLT model, which assumes…

The credibility of an instructional simulation is the most important issue in distance education, where it may replace hands-on activities. This credibility is based in large part upon verisimilitude, a perception strongly influenced by the simulation's realism. This paper presents a case study encompassing the design process of a simulation-based…