Describes a study that investigated the effect of motivational variables on task persistence and performance in Navy technical training by giving students problems in a self-paced computer simulation game or drill with variable or fixed payoff points. Student responses to an evaluation questionnaire are discussed. (14 references) (LRW)

Presents a geography program to show students why the European Community was formed. Involves student research of economic data, creation of a computer database on the European Community, and simulation of trading. Emphasizes geographic themes of movement, region formation, and change in response to economic forces. Includes game rules, sample…

Presents activities employing LOGO to help create situations that enable students to make meaningful cognitive connections while exploring mathematical relationships. Activities explore the concepts of angles and rotations, progressing from off-line to on-line activities with suggested extensions. (MDH)

In 1995, rather than require seventh-grade computer literacy classes, Texas allowed school districts to integrate technology skills into curricula. This article, the first of three, describes technology integration for sixth grade. Includes unit ideas on nations; the Holocaust; Olympic diving; Christmas; probability; organisms; Antarctica;…

These designers approaches their physics lesson design task from the viewpoint of play. The designs, all having strong gaming influences, aim to be flexible enough to take advantage of the experience and ideas of a teacher working with a standard curriculum, yet interesting enough for students to want to continue exploring resources on their own…

A worldwide international computer network, called the Intercultural Learning Network, has been developed to provide students from different cultures with opportunities to work cooperatively. Prototype activities have been developed and tested which facilitate and contextualize interactions among secondary and college students. Joint projects in…

Summarizes eight papers from the 1989 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC). The papers describe: (1) programs for teaching physical science, astronomy, and mathematics; (2) integrating telecommunications into school science; (3) use of models and simulations; and (4) the 1988 Association for the Education of Teachers in Science…

Studies patterns of computer use based on data from the National Science Foundation's Longitudinal Study of American Youth in which 7th- and 10th-grade students were surveyed for five consecutive years. Highlights include parental backgrounds; socioeconomic status; parental attitudes; student attitudes; gender differences; computer ownership; and…

Develops a series of computer-assisted instructional (CAI) programs as a learning tool to accompany a U.S. history survey course. Divides a 2-semester course into 12 chronological periods. Explains how course structure incorporates rote materials into visually stimulating gamelike scenarios. States that software for the course is available,…

Presents a collection of computer software programs designed to spark learning enthusiasm at every grade level and across the curriculum. They include Reader Rabbit's Learn to Read, Spelling Power, Mind Twister Math, Community Construction Kit, Breaking the Code, Encarta Africana 2000, Virtual Serengeti, Operation: Frog (Deluxe), and My First…

The author's gaming-simulation course at Western Carolina University has been 30 years in the making. Its structure, content, and instructional methods are heavily influenced by the author's professorial aspirations and experience in the use of simulations. In this brief article, the author shares some of his early use of educational games and…

This article describes the authors' experience of developing a business gaming course for business people in Japan. The course that was developed consists of (a) simple gaming experiments among multiple students using ALEXANDER ISLANDS, a tiny business game on the World Wide Web; (b) lectures to make the students understand the core concepts of…

Results of a case study of an exhibit of art and artifacts designed for children are presented. The focus of the study was to apply the principles of instructional-message design to the evaluation of the exhibit. The exhibit, "Art Inside Out: Exploring Art and Culture through Time," was displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Textual…

Suggests that intuition and visualization are effective methods of introducing engineering principles to pre-engineering students. Describes the development of computer simulation software as part of a "Pre-Engineering College On Disk" course. The computer game helps students visualize the relationship between shell trajectory and its…

Reviews empirical research from 1963 to 1991 that compared the instructional effectiveness of games to conventional classroom instruction. It is concluded that subject matter areas where very specific content can be targeted, especially mathematics, are more likely to show beneficial effects for gaming. (41 references) (LRW)