Although there are many methods available for dimensionality assessment for items with monotone item response functions, there are few methods available for unfolding item response theory models. In this study, a modification of Yen's Q3 statistic is proposed for the case of these nonmonotone item response models. Through a simulation study, the…

In order to promote cooperation among students who work separately on their computers at home, the University of Essen has developed training courses with experienced tutors to teach students the required sensitivity and practical skills for tele-collaboration in small groups. A core problem in synchronous collaborative e-learning with speech…

This study aims to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based learning environment on learners of different spatial visualization abilities. The findings of the aptitude-by-treatment interaction study have shown that learners benefit most from the Guided VR mode, irrespective of their spatial visualization abilities. This indicates that…

During the summer of 2001 I worked as a bartender in Wyoming, two miles east of Yellowstone National Park. This opportunity provided me with unique experiences of "the wilderness" and as a result, allowed me to become aware of intricacies of living within a primarily simulated and mass mediated culture, i.e., the United States. Following…

The most important step in leading students in an exploration of the philosophical issues regarding art created with a computer is first to guide them in exploring ontological concepts and questions asked about the nature of art and computer art, before investigating related issues of epistemology, value, and criticism. Students need to understand…

Objective: The authors evaluate an Internet virtual reality technology as an education tool about the hallucinations of psychosis. Method: This is a pilot project using Second Life, an Internet-based virtual reality system, in which a virtual reality environment was constructed to simulate the auditory and visual hallucinations of two patients…

The social work education literature contains limited discussion of the use of role play in the classroom. This article discusses the logistics of recruiting and utilizing professionally-trained actors to simulate clients in social work role plays. Promising results from assessments of BSW and MSW students with actor-simulated clients are…

The Hetter and Sympson (1997; 1985) method is a method of probabilistic item-exposure control in computerized adaptive testing. Setting its control parameters to admissible values requires an iterative process of computer simulations that has been found to be time consuming, particularly if the parameters have to be set conditional on a realistic…

A reactor is an example of an immersive interactive play in which animated images are projected onto the floor. A reactor allows people to walk on images and interact with them using their feet. With reactors, people can stomp on kernels of popcorn, shoot a pool using their big toes, or wade through a shallow surf on pristine beaches. This…

Adaptive decision making requires that contingencies between decision options and their relative assets be assessed accurately and quickly. The present research addresses the challenging notion that contingencies may be more visible from small than from large samples of observations. An algorithmic account for such a seemingly paradoxical effect…

Predictions derived from the interactive activation (IA) model were tested in 3 experiments using the masked priming technique in the lexical decision task. Experiment 1 showed a strong effect of prime lexicality: Classifications of target words were facilitated by orthographically related nonword primes (relative to unrelated nonword primes) but…

Cross-classified random effects modeling (CCREM) is used to model multilevel data from nonhierarchical contexts. These models are widely discussed but infrequently used in social science research. Because little research exists assessing when it is necessary to use CCREM, 2 studies were conducted. A real data set with a cross-classified structure…

This article examines a subscore augmentation procedure. The approach uses empirical Bayes adjustments and is intended to improve the overall accuracy of measurement when information is scant. Simulations examined the impact of the method on subscale scores in a variety of realistic conditions. The authors focused on two popular scoring methods:…

Human patient simulators are widely used to train health professionals and students in a clinical setting, but they also can be used to enhance physiology education in a laboratory setting. Our course incorporates the human patient simulator for experiential learning in which undergraduate university juniors and seniors are instructed to design,…

A multiple-baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of a pre-shot putting routine on the putting performance of four NCAA Division I golfers. The routine involved a combination of multisensory imagery and simulated putting movements. Results suggested that the intervention was effective for some participants. Discussion focuses on…