Found that students cast in the roles of managers in the SIMCORP simulation reported different perceptions about learning than did students cast in the roles of workers. (SIMCORP is an interactive simulated complex organization which specializes in information dissemination.) (PD)

Describes a simulated laboratory research project in which the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of ammonia synthesis are simulated on a computer. (MLH)

Describes the implementation of a hands-on minicourse on mass production designed to help students understand this industrial process. Provides instructions and pattern guide for making string-art mandala sailboats. (TA)

Describes a study that investigated the relative credibility of confidential and open student placement files through an experiment where college students rated hypothetical job candidates. Results showed that candidates with confidential placement files were judged more attractive, but there was no evidence of greater credibility for confidential…

Describes a computerized experiment in which the student determines the pk of an acid-base indicator from absorption spectra of the indicator at various concentrations. (MLH)

Describes a simple simulation for teaching secondary students about nuclear power as a source of energy by having them role play various interest groups. Game rules, including division of class members into four interest groups, are described. The author suggests eight references that would be useful for the simulation. (Author/DB)

Some of the problems associated with setting up a computer simulation are examined. Uses of computer simulation as a teaching tool in the life sciences are detailed with some examples presented from courses at Sturt College of Advanced Education. (BT)

Electricity is an important and challenging science topic at all school levels. Learners often have many difficulties in learning electricity. Previous attempts to overcome these difficulties have been rather one-sided, leaning only on one method at the time, and thus ineffective. As a solution, a learning environment which combines the strengths…

In the spring of 2001, illegal drug use had risen by 40% among teens in the town of Springdale, Utopia. School administrators and the Springdale Police Department decided to implement a crackdown on teen drug use in all high schools in Springdale. A high school principal received a tip on a hotline that Jamie Davidson, a senior, had been seen…

Scientists have increasingly focused attention on far-reaching environmental threats, such as climate change, ozone depletion, and deforestation, that transcend national boundaries. A new concept, global environmental problems, has entered the public arena, particularly in the area of foreign policy and economic matters. This unit explores the…

Although the attacks of September 11, 2001, present new challenges and priorities for U.S. policy, it is uncertain what direction international relations will take. China's growth and power, Russia's political and economic problems, resentment and corruption in Russia, and global warming effect policymaking. While the war on terrorism may be a…

Information provided for computerized adaptive test (CAT) simulees was compared under two conditions on two moderately correlated trait composites, mathematics and reading comprehension. The first condition used information provided by in-scale items alone, while the second condition used information provided by in- and out-of-scale items together…

Computerized adaptive tests (CATs) pose major obstacles to the traditional assessment of differential item functioning (DIF). This paper proposes a modification of the SIBTEST DIF procedure for CATs, called CATSIB. CATSIB matches test takers on estimated ability based on unidimensional item response theory. To control for impact-induced Type I…

Recent developments in Internet technologies have enabled new, more flexible forms of telematic simulation and have raised issues that were not considered in the early days of networked learning. Ultimately, these questions revolve around: (1) the learning cost-effectiveness of telematic simulation (quality and quantity of learning as opposed to…

A computerized adaptive test (CAT) administration usually requires a large supply of items with accurately estimated psychometric properties, such as item response theory (IRT) parameter estimates, to ensure the precision of examinee ability estimation. However, an estimated IRT model of a given item in any given pool does not always correctly…