An annual model United Nations simulation involving high school and college students is described. (LH)

Societal changes demand educators to apply new pedagogical approaches. Many educational stakeholders feel that serious games could play a key role in fulfilling this demand, and they lick their chops when looking at the booming industry of leisure games. However, current toolkits for developing leisure games show severe shortcomings when applied…

The generality and domain-specificity of the metacognitive skills students bring to new situations were studied with 14 Dutch college freshmen in three simulations. Results support the generality of novice metacognitive skills across domains, and suggest that metacognitive skillfulness is partly independent of intelligence. (SLD)

These 16 papers presented at the 1979 conference of the International Simulation and Gaming Association focus on new simulation and gaming models and research findings, with an additional emphasis on the use of simulation and gaming techniques for analytical as well as communicative purposes. Specific topics covered include (1) the state of…

In this paper we report on the sustained research and development work at the AMSTEL Institute of the University of Amsterdam to improve mathematics and science education at primary and secondary school level, which has lead amongst other things to the development of the integrated computer working environment Coach 6. This environment consists of…

To improve the quality in teaching and learning, opportunities need to be provided where practitioners and researchers meet and share visions, disseminate findings, co-construct ideas, and set research agendas together. Visiting a conference is one well-known and established way to do this. But are they effective? A survey was conducted among the…

In a randomized experiment (n = 515), a computerized and a computerized adaptive test (CAT) are compared. The item pool consists of 24 polytomous motivation items. Although items are carefully selected, calibration data show that Samejima's graded response model did not fit the data optimally. A simulation study is done to assess possible…

Theoretical predictions, based on the confluence model, were made for data from six national surveys of intellectual performance, each relating intellectual performance scores to family configuration variables. The confluence model was capable of accurate prediction in all cases when three parameters were estimated. (Author/RD)

In this paper it is shown that differential item functioning can be evaluated using the Lagrange multiplier test or C. R. Rao's efficient score test. The test is presented in the framework of a number of item response theory (IRT) models such as the Rasch model, the one-parameter logistic model, the two-parameter logistic model, the generalized…

The 21 papers in this volume were presented at the 1979 conference of the International Simulation and Gaming Association. Concerned with new simulation and gaming models and research findings, they emphasize the use of simulation and gaming techniques for analytical as well as communicative purposes. Specific topics covered include…

Earlier research in Dutch deep sea fishing showed competition between skippers. Since cooperation in fleets could be a solution to economic and social problems and the industry couldn't accept this, a simulation-experiment was carried out. Although competition existed initially, skippers later tried cooperation under reward conditions. The…

A technique is presented to transform incomplete categorical data into complete data by imputing appropriate scores into missing cells. A solution of the optimization problem is suggested, and relevant psychometric theory is discussed. The average correlation should be at least 0.50 before the method becomes practical. (SLD)

Discusses the portability of a Canadian-made educational simulation software package, "The Electronics Workbench," to China that was part of a larger study conducted at the University of Twente (The Netherlands). Evaluation results of the software use in China are presented, including functionality for electronics education, ease of use,…

Computer simulations can facilitate the building of models of natural phenomena in research, such as in the molecular life sciences. In order to introduce molecular life science students to the use of computer simulations for model building, a digital case was developed in which students build a model of a pattern formation process in…

Describes a project that simulated the impact of three scenarios on health care patterns and the health situation of elderly people in the Netherlands. The discussion covers the utilization of outcomes by policymakers and future applications of simulations by scenario projects. (41 notes with references) (CLB)