Interactive Computer-based Simulation Research Articles

Millikan Again

Recognized as one of the most beautiful experiments of all time, the oil drop experiment performed by Robert Millikan and his graduate students (primarily Harvey Fletcher) is a standard in the repertoire of experiments performed by undergraduate physics students. However, “as a teaching lab it does not enjoy a good reputation for three reasons: eyestrain, tedium, and poor, unconvincing results.” Several have attempted to make this experiment more student-friendly by improving the optics and replacing the stopwatch with a computer, replacing the eye with a video camera, and utilizing video analysis tools. Currently available versions of the oil drop apparatus for high school and college students have incorporated a number of these features. On the other hand, others are ready to replace the experiment with interactive computer-based simulations. There is another alternative: Have students analyze pre-recorded videos of the Millikan experiment. Besides the “Millikan Movies” produced at the California State University at Chico, the collection “Physics: CINEMA CLASSICS” (“PCC”) contains the essential nuggets from a Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) educational film made in 1959 sufficient to compute the elementary electric charge.

Interactive Clinical Avatar Use in Pharmacist Preregistration Training: Design and Review.

BackgroundVirtual patients are interactive computer-based simulations that are being increasingly used in modern health care education. They have been identified as tools that can provide experiential learning and assessment in a standardized and safe environment. However, the study of high-fidelity virtual patients such as interactive clinical avatars within pharmacy is limited.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to describe the design and review of three interactive clinical avatar simulations as part of pharmacist preregistration training.MethodsA multistep design approach was taken to create interactive clinical avatar simulations on the topics of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), calculation of renal function, and childhood illnesses. All case studies were reviewed by registered pharmacists to establish content and face validity. The EHC case study and data collection questionnaire were also reviewed by a purposive sample of preregistration trainees and newly qualified pharmacists. The questionnaire used Likert ranking statements and open-ended questions to obtain users’ feedback on the design, usability, and usefulness of the interactive clinical avatars as learning tools. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were undertaken on the data.ResultsTen preregistration trainees and newly qualified pharmacists reviewed the EHC interactive clinical avatars and data collection questionnaire. The data collection questionnaire was associated with a Cronbach alpha=.95, demonstrating good reliability. All three interactive clinical avatar simulations were reported as usable and appropriately designed for preregistration training. Users perceived they were developing skills and knowledge from the simulations. The high-fidelity nature of the avatars and relevance of the simulations to real-life practice were reported as aspects that encouraged the application of theory to practice. Improvements were suggested to ensure the simulations were more user-friendly.ConclusionsThe design and creation of the interactive clinical avatar simulations was successful. The multistep review process ensured validity and reliability of the simulations and data collection questionnaire. The in-depth explanation of the design process and provision of a questionnaire may help widen the use and evaluation of interactive clinical avatars or other simulation tools in pharmacy education. The interactive clinical avatars were reported as novel learning tools that promoted experiential learning and allowed users to feel like they were engaging in real-life scenarios, thus developing transferable knowledge and skills. This may be potentially beneficial for many health care training courses as a way to provide standardized experiences promoting active learning and reflection.

Comparison of Teaching Instruction Efficiency in Physics through the Invested Self-Perceived Mental Effort

The main goal of the research is to determine how certain teaching instruction methods affect the achievement and mental efforts of high school students needed for learning Fluid Mechanics topic in Physics. Determining mental effort or cognitive load as a wider concept helps obtain important data, which can be used to identify teaching instruction menthods, which result in higher performance and motivation. This research is aimed to examine the efficiency of three approaches to teaching physics, which are most common in the Republic of Serbia. These are: an approach based on the use of laboratory inquiry-based experiments (LIBE), an approach based on the use of interactive computer-based simulation (ICBS) and a traditional teaching approach (TA). The article describes an experimental study conducted with two experimental and one control groups. The research was conducted on a sample of six high school classes in a gymnasium with advanced study in Natural Science and Mathematics in Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia. The total sample count was 187 students (mean age 16 years). The main conclusions of the research are that there is a causal link between the teaching instruction method applied and the achievement, or the self-perceived mental effort, of a student. Students, who were learning the teaching content through LIBE or ICS approach, have achieved better results in the knowledge test and estimatd their mental effort to be lower compared to the students, who were learning the same content through traditional teaching approach applied. The reasearch also showed, that LIBE or ICBS teaching approaches achieve higher levels of instructional efficiency and instructional involvement compared to the traditional teaching approach.

Interactive Computer Simulation for Adolescent Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Substance Use in an Undergraduate Nursing Program

PurposeAdolescent substance use has been identified as our nation's number one public health problem. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based approach to identify and address adolescent substance use. Despite recommendations for universal implementation, adolescent SBIRT training has been notably absent from undergraduate nursing curricula. This project describes and evaluates the effectiveness of using an interactive computer simulation for adolescent SBIRT in an undergraduate nursing program. Design and methodUndergraduate nursing students (n = 144) completed an adolescent SBIRT interactive computer simulation (SBI with Adolescents, Kognito). Self-perceived competence, confidence, and readiness to deliver adolescent SBIRT were measured via pre- and post-survey items. Student attitudes toward substance use and simulation-based learning were also studied. At the end of the simulation, students received an automatic assessment challenge score based on performance. We compared the pre- and post-SBIRT scores using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and the sign test for repeated measures using 2-tailed α = 0.05. ResultsWe saw significant (p < .05) improvement in overall student competence, confidence, and readiness to deliver SBIRT. Positive quantitative and qualitative feedback were also received regarding the simulation experience. ConclusionsAdolescent SBIRT training was successfully integrated into an undergraduate nursing curriculum. There were significant improvements in self-reported competence, confidence, and readiness to deliver adolescent SBIRT. Practical implicationThis project provided further support for the potential benefits of an interactive computer-based simulation in an undergraduate nursing curriculum.

The effects of laboratory inquire-based experiments and computer simulations on high school students‘ performance and cognitive load in physics teaching

The main goal of this study was to examine the extent to which different teaching instructions focused on the application of laboratory inquire-based experiments (LIBEs) and interactive computer based simulations (ICBSs) improved understanding of physical contents in high school students, compared to traditional teaching approach. Additionally, the study examined how the applied instructions influenced students? assessment of invested cognitive load. A convenience sample of this research included 187 high school students. A multiple-choice test of knowledge was used as a measuring instrument for the students? performance. Each task in the test was followed by the five-point Likert-type scale for the evaluation of invested cognitive load. In addition to descriptive statistics, determination of significant differences in performance and cognitive load as well as the calculation of instructional efficiency of applied instructional design, computed one-factor analysis of variance and Tukey?s post-hoc test. The findings indicate that teaching instructions based on the use of LIBEs and ICBSs equally contribute to an increase in students? performance and the reduction of cognitive load unlike traditional teaching of Physics. The results obtained by the students from the LIBEs and ICBSs groups for calculated instructional efficiency suggest that the applied teaching strategies represent effective teaching instructions.

Attitudes Towards Physical Activity and Perceived Exertion in Three Different Multitask Cybercycle Navigational Environments

Physical activity and positive health behaviors are not usually associated with playing video games. Participating in exergames, video games that combine exercise and virtual environments may encourage physical activity by making it more enjoyable. The investigation aimed to study attitudes toward physical activity and perceived exertion in three different multitask cybercycle navigational environments. A sample of 56 adults participated in one of three navigation tasks while riding a stationary bicycle with an interactive computer-based simulation program displayed on the built-in screen. Subjects were randomly assigned one of the three navigation groups: Gauges Monitoring (n=18), Touring (n=19) and Gaming (n=19). After completing the ride and concurrent multitask tests, an attitude survey questionnaire was administered concerning individuals’ perceptions of the experience and toward exercise in general. Post-ride participants were also asked to rate their perceived exertion during the ride using the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion. Analysis of variance tests were used to compare the results among the three groups and between genders on each factor and on the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion. Significant differences were found for interaction between environment and gender for the Physical Activity factor (P = 0.020), a gender effect for the Walk Skills factor (P = 0.007), and for the Borg Scale (P = 0.004). Subsequent post hoc Tukey tests indicated that the perceived exertion was higher in the Gaming Group when compared with Gauges Monitoring and Touring Groups (P = 0.006; 0.014, respectively). Overall, participants enjoyed the activity irrespective of environment. Results support the proposition that exergaming in light-to-moderate exercise conditions is perceived as being physically active.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instructions in Physics at Undergraduate Level

Previous researchers have demonstrated significant improvement in students’ conceptual understanding of basic physics using interactive engagement methods of instruction. In this study, the effects of interactive computerbased simulations and animations investigated in classroom on students' conceptual understanding of electrostatics. Two groups – one control and one experimental of students at third year undergraduate level were studied to determine the role of computer simulations and animations in the development of functional understanding of the concepts of force, field, and potential in electrostatics. While few misconceptions persisted, the overall results indicate that students seem to have acquired a good general understanding of these concepts using such package. This occurred mainly in the area of verbal, vector and diagrammatic representation of the abstract physics concepts involved in the study.

Discovery learning, representation, and explanation within a computer-based simulation: finding the right mix

The purpose of this research was to explore how adult users interact and learn during an interactive computer-based simulation supplemented with brief multimedia explanations of the content. A total of 52 college students interacted with a computer-based simulation of Newton’s laws of motion in which they had control over the motion of a simple screen object—an animated ball. Two simulation conditions were studied, each differing in how the feedback of the ball’s speed, direction, and position was represented: graphical feedback consisted of animated graphics and textual feedback consisted of numeric displays. In addition, half of the participants were given simulations supplemented with brief multimedia explanations of the content modeled by the simulation in order to investigate how to promote referential processing, a key component of dual coding theory. Results showed significant differences for both the use of the explanations and simulations containing graphical feedback in helping participants gain both implicit and explicit understanding of the science principles.

Beliefs, attitudes, and intentions of science teachers regarding the educational use of computer simulations and inquiry‐based experiments in physics

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate (a) what effect the use of interactive computer‐based simulations (ICBSs), the use of laboratory inquiry‐based experiments (LIBEs), and the use of combinations of an ICBS and a LIBE, in a conceptually oriented physics course, have on science teachers' beliefs about and attitudes toward the use of these learning and teaching tools, as well as the effect on their intentions to incorporate these tools in their own future teaching practices, (b) science teachers' attitudes toward physics and the effect that the use of ICBSs and/or LIBEs have on teachers' attitudes toward physics, and (c) whether teachers' beliefs have an effect on their attitudes and whether their attitudes have an effect on their intentions. A pre–post comparison study and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) were used for this purpose. Results confirmed the TRA model that beliefs affect attitudes and these attitudes then affect intentions, and showed that science teachers' attitudes toward physics, the use of an ICBS, the use of a LIBE, and the use of a combination of an ICBS and an LIBE were highly positive at the end of the study. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 792–823, 2003

The effects of an interactive computer-based simulation prior to performing a laboratory inquiry-based experiment on students’ conceptual understanding of physics

We investigate the effects of interactive computer-based simulations which are presented prior to inquiry-based laboratory experiments on students’ conceptual understanding of mechanics, waves/optics, and thermal physics. In principle, the simulations should serve as a cognitive framework for enhancing the subsequent more open-ended inquiry learning in the subject matter domain of the experiments. To test this prediction, the simulations and experiments were integrated into a one semester class for prospective physics teachers who served as students in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to assess their ability to make correct predictions about the phenomenon in the experiments before using the latter and give correct explanations of the discrepancies between their predictions and their following observations. Conceptual tests were presented to assess conceptual understandings of each topic. Our results indicate that the use of the simulations improved the students’ ability to make acceptable predictions and explanations of the phenomena in the experiments. The use of simulations also fostered a significant conceptual change in the physics content areas that were studied.

An interactive computer-based simulation environment for supporting and developing complex decision-making skills

Many managerial contexts in the public services and industry utilise large-scale information systems and require effective decision-making at strategic and tactical levels. Developing such skills presents problems because of the complexities of the decision-making and because conventional training techniques are usually difficult to manage and are limited in their scale and objectives. Computer-based simulations should have the potential to overcome some of these difficulties through interactive multimedia facilities, their range of feedback displays and networking and record-keeping, which enable collaborative engagement and reflective debriefing. Under an activity theory framework, this paper discusses the design and formative evaluation of an interactive simulation environment (CACTUS) for supporting and developing decision-making in the management of large-scale incidents relating to public order. The project was a collaboration with the London Metropolitan Police and a principal focus was the way the system facilities and its interface evolved to accommodate and support the varying roles of trainers/facilitators and trainees so that they and CACTUS, formed an interactive collaborative system.

Evaluation of 3D Imaging

Interactive computer-based simulation is gaining acceptance for craniofacial surgical planning. Subjective visualization without objective measurement capability, however, severely limits the value of simulation since spatial accuracy must be maintained. This study investigated the error sources involved in one method of surgical simulation evaluation. Linear and angular measurement errors were found to be within +/- 1 mm and 1 degree. Surface match of scanned objects was slightly less accurate, with errors up to 3 voxels and 4 degrees, and Boolean subtraction methods were 93 to 99% accurate. Once validated, these testing methods were applied to objectively compare craniofacial surgical simulations to post-operative outcomes, and verified that the form of simulation used in this study yields accurate depictions of surgical outcome. However, to fully evaluate surgical simulation, future work is still required to test the new methods in sufficient numbers of patients to achieve statistically significant results. Once completely validated, simulation cannot only be used in pre-operative surgical planning, but also as a post-operative descriptor of surgical and traumatic physical changes. Validated image comparison methods can also show discrepancy of surgical outcome to surgical plan, thus allowing evaluation of surgical technique.

Developing interactive computer-based simulations: an object-oriented development methodology enhances computer-assisted instruction

The purpose of this research was to investigate the application of object-oriented technology and AI techniques to enhance development of computer-based training simulations. Towards that end, a comprehensive computer-assisted instructional unit was developed to teach the skills and concepts of window-based applications, the OS 2 desktop, and the use of a patient care information system. By taking advantage of sophisticated computer graphics for the visual representation of objects and the behavioral modeling capabilities of the object-oriented language, domain knowledge modeling and human-computer interactions were implemented without complex natural language processing techniques. The results of this research indicate that nurses and physicians are able to learn the basic skills and concepts of computer systems and how to query for patient information. The new methodology described for building these computer-assisted instructional simulations significantly eased the training and teaching of large numbers of nurses and physicians and simplified their transition to a complex, computer-based hospital information system environment.