Simulations make it possible to explore physical and biological phenomena, where conducting the real experiment is impracticable or difficult. The implementation of a software program describing and simulating a given physical situation encourages the understanding of a phenomenon itself. Fifty-nine students, enrolled at the Mathematical Methods…

Recent advancements in the development of hardware/software configurations for delivering virtual reality (VR) environments to individuals with disabilities have included approaches for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article describes a study comparing benefits of using VR to benefits of an integrated/visual treatment model…

This paper reports some of the findings from the science subject design initiative team in the ESRC Interactive Education Project at the University of Bristol. The subject culture of secondary school science, characterised by a content-laden curriculum and assessment, but also with a tradition and requirement for practical work, is briefly…

There are a number of areas in psychology where an electronic spreadsheet simulator can be used to study and explore functional relationships among a number of parameters. For example, when dealing with sensation, perception, and pattern recognition, it is sometimes desirable for students to understand both the basic neurophysiology and the…

This project was designed to construct a single theoretical framework for the analysis of problem solving and real time "attention and performance" behavior. The model was developed as a computer program. It was designed in a similar manner to that of various problem solving simulations that use the "production system"…

The aim of a teacher is to guide a student or group of students to observe, do, and discover what is essential in the curriculum's content, and to create a comfortable context and emotional state for learning. This paper puts forward the theoretical underpinning and central aspects of the development and application of the orientation assistant…

Describes a microcomputer-based software package, Online Search Tutor (OST), which is designed to teach users online bibliographic searching. Modeled on software previously developed for the European Space Agency Information Retrieval Services (ESA-IRS), OST includes a database of 600 bibliographic records which will simulate actual search…

Microcomputer simulations in evaluation research are useful for (1) improving student understanding of research principles and analytic techniques; (2) investigating problems arising in research implementations; and (3) exploring the accuracy and utility of novel analytic techniques. This article describes these simulation uses for the context of…

Discusses the nature of misconceptions in science and the role of teachers and students in correcting these misconceptions. Also describes a simulation program that centers on some basic topics in Newtonian mechanics, outlining its structure and examining some of the premises that served as guidelines in its design. (JN)

An interactive computer program in microbial genetics is described. The simulation allows students to work at their own pace and develop understanding of microbial techniques as they choose donor bacterial strains, specify selective media, and interact with demonstration experiments. Sample questions and outputs are included. (DH)

Demonstrating petroleum engineering concepts in undergraduate laboratories often requires expensive and time-consuming experiments. To eliminate these problems, a graphical simulation technique was developed for junior-level laboratories which illustrate vapor-liquid equilibrium and the use of mathematical modeling. A description of this…

Describes five categories of computer programs useful for content area reading instruction: utility programs, word processing, simulations, telecommunications for access to a database, and story architecture. (HOD)

Describes and lists a program for Apple Pascal Version 1.1 which investigates the behavior of the bicarbonate-carbon dioxide buffer system in acid-base disorders. Designed specifically for the preclinical medical student, the program has proven easy to use and enables students to use blood gas parameters to arrive at diagnoses. (DH)

Describes and reviews commercially-available computer software for social studies (SS). They are: "Jury Trial II" (utilizes artificial intelligence); "Africa" (utilizes creative graphics to teaching SS facts; "Revolutions: Past, Present and Future"; "The Other Side" (examines world peace using values…

Faced with beginning the school year without the necessary chemicals for experiments in a newly adopted chemistry textbook, a department chairperson conceived the idea of supplementing the textbook with simulated experiments on microcomputers. The methodology used to select the appropriate software is described, with suggestions for some new…