The Maxwell International Development Simulation (MIDSIM) was designed to provide continuity and a realistic laboratory for a series of month-long seminars conducted by Syracuse University for Midcareer officials from the Agency for International Development. The seminars were designed to provide learning in three broad areas: Policy and Issues,…

As part of an overall education and training program to instruct Air Force Base Civil Engineering personnel in the concepts and use of the Base Engineer Automated Management System (BEAMS), a simulation of the system was developed, covering a period of one week at a hypothetical Air Force Base. The simulation, which gives students experience in…

This evaluation report encompasses two 3-day leadership development workshops conducted for state department staff and other vocational personnel in order to evaluate a simulation leadership training package. Prior to the workshops, the training package was developed, pilot tested, and revised. During the development phase, consideration was given…

The challenge to biological and extra biological survival comes down to man's ability to organize man-made environments that exhibit the subtle order found in natural living systems. Because of a misapplication of technology, many self regulating mechanisms are absent in contemporary human settings; they must be designed into future efforts…

Results of a survey to determine what vocational industrial education consider to be the most important qualities of their programs. (GB)

Discusses the importance of teaching word processing skills in office procedures courses. Elements of such a program include word processing equipment, machine dictation and transcription, keyboarding applications, copy processing, records management, and word processing simulation. (CT)

Discusses four difficulties in teaching business communication: lack of shared organizational vision; lack of reality; class duration; and lack of direction in textbooks. Presents advantages and disadvantages of using a simulated organization to address these problems and to improve students' communication competence in various situations.…

Chris Dede, Wirth Professor of Learning Technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a leading authority on learning technologies and the ways in which they shape education. As a teacher, researcher, and policy advocate, he is a visionary whose fascination with technology has been informed by his commitment to serving the highest…

In this article, the author describes how teachers, students, and other community members collaborated in the planning and preparation of World Bazaar, a project aimed to immerse elementary students into modern and ancient cultures through reading, writing, researching, using maps, and seeing videos. On the day of the World Bazaar, the courtyard…

Educators who are prepared to make use of CSCL can find themselves restricted in their space for maneuvering regarding educational innovation. As a supportive context can be very important for them, the study presented here describes and analyzes a related case of a Community of Practice (CoP) among tutors contributing to the development and…

Conversational technologies such as email, chat rooms, and blogs have made the transition from novel communication technologies to powerful tools for learning. Currently virtual worlds are undergoing the same transition. We argue that the next wave of innovation is at the level of the computer interface, and that mixed-reality environments offer…

Many educators in facilitative roles have approached the subject of visual disabilities by constructing activities designed to simulate blindness, using a blindfold or similar device. Participants are subsequently encouraged to perform rudimentary tasks such as eating a meal or moving about with a sighted companion as a guide. Frequently,…

The purpose of this paper is to describe a simulation activity that has been effective in teaching community college students about work satisfaction. A simulated factory instigates job dissatisfaction which is then discussed in terms of cause and effect. The work is then redesigned to enhance job satisfaction and productive efficiency. (Author)