Oersted Medal Lecture 2007: Interactive simulations for teaching physics: What works, what doesn't, and why

We give an overview of the Physics Educational Technology (PhET) project to research and develop web-based interactive simulations for teaching and learning physics. The design philosophy, simulation development and testing process, and range of available simulations are described. The highlights of PhET research on simulation design and effectiveness in a variety of educational settings are provided. This work has shown that a well-designed interactive simulation can be an engaging and effective tool for learning physics

Measuring Complex Problem Solving in Jordanian Higher Education: Feasibility, Construct Validity and Logfile-Based Behavioural Pattern Analyses

This study investigated the feasibility and the applicability of using the third generation computer-based assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) based on the MicroDYN approach at the Jordanian higher education level. The tests were administered online via the eDia assessment platform for all data collections processes. We also investigated the role of strategic exploration and different problem-solving and test-taking behaviours in CPS success, using logfile data to visualize and quantify students’ problem-solving behaviour on ten CPS problems with varying difficulty levels and characteristics. Additionally, in the present study, we go beyond the borders of most studies that focus on students’ problem-solving behaviour pattern analyses in European cultures and education systems and examine Arabic students’ CPS behaviour. Results show that students in the Arabic school system interpret CPS problems the same way. That is, we confirmed the two-dimensional model of CPS, indicating the processes of knowledge acquisition and knowledge application as separate dimensions during the problem-solving process. Analyzing log data, we have identified large differences in students’ test-taking behavior in terms of the effectiveness of their exploration strategy, time-on-task, and number of trials at an international level (Jordan and Hungary). We identified four latent classes in both samples based on the students’ exploration strategy behavior. The tested process indicators proved to be non-invariant over the different latent profiles; that is, there are big differences in the role of the number of manipulations executed, time-on-task, and type of strategy used in actual problem-solving achievement between students that fall within different thinking profiles. Based on the results from the studies, we can conclude that online computer-based assessment is valid and reliable in the Jordanian higher education context. This study contributes to understanding how students from different educational contexts behave while solving complex problems

Television and video game violence: age differences and the combined effects of passive and interactive violent media

The present research examined the combined effects of violent video games and violent TV programs on third and sixth-grade boys’ thoughts and behavior. In individual sessions, demographic information about the children’s television viewing and video game playing habits was collected. Participants were exposed to one of six following media conditions for 15 minutes; a) watch a violent (wrestling) or a non-violent video segment (basketball), b) play a violent or a non-violent game, or c) watch a violent or non-violent video segment and then play a video game containing the same characters and content. The potential for violent media to prime aggression was examined by utilizing two cognitive (word-stem completion task and normative beliefs about aggression questionnaire) and one behavioral measure (Bobo doll interaction). Exposure to violent media was expected to lead to increased aggressive thoughts and behaviors in both younger and older children. Younger children were expected to be more strongly influenced by violent media than older children. However, older boys were expected to demonstrate greater priming on the word-completion task. Finally, consistent with Huesmann’s (1986) social developmental theory, the combination of violent video games and violent television content was expected influence children more strongly than either video games or television alone. Key findings of the present research were as follows: 1) Children exposed to violent media content endorsed higher levels of aggressive behavior than did children exposed to non-violent content. 2) Children exposed to violence in the combined media condition endorsed significantly higher levels of aggressive behavior than did those in the non-violent media condition. 3) Sixth-grade boys endorsed higher levels of aggressive behavior and produced more aggressive words on the word-stem completion task than did third-grade boys. 4) Third-grade boys were more aggressive toward the Bobo doll than were sixth-grade boys

A meta-analysis: Gamification in education

“Gamification has been used in a variety of contexts including education. In order to understand the effects of gamification in education, a meta-analysis was conducted. A bottom-up approach was used to analyze the effects of game design elements on learning outcomes found in the literature search. The result suggests that gamification can enhance student learning outcomes. Elements such as points, leaderboards, competitions, progress bars, feedback, and collaboration have medium to large effect sizes. Gamification also has larger effects on young children in elementary education than learners at other education levels. The study offers suggestions and guidelines for educators on the use of design elements in gamification”--Abstract, page iii

Integrating knowledge tracing and item response theory: A tale of two frameworks

Traditionally, the assessment and learning science commu-nities rely on different paradigms to model student performance. The assessment community uses Item Response Theory which allows modeling different student abilities and problem difficulties, while the learning science community uses Knowledge Tracing, which captures skill acquisition. These two paradigms are complementary - IRT cannot be used to model student learning, while Knowledge Tracing assumes all students and problems are the same. Recently, two highly related models based on a principled synthesis of IRT and Knowledge Tracing were introduced. However, these two models were evaluated on different data sets, using different evaluation metrics and with different ways of splitting the data into training and testing sets. In this paper we reconcile the models' results by presenting a unified view of the two models, and by evaluating the models under a common evaluation metric. We find that both models are equivalent and only differ in their training procedure. Our results show that the combined IRT and Knowledge Tracing models offer the best of assessment and learning sciences - high prediction accuracy like the IRT model, and the ability to model student learning like Knowledge Tracing

Teaching Non-Technological Skills for Successful Building Information Modeling (BIM) Projects

abstract: Implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects has many potential benefits, but issues of projects can hinder its realization in practice. Although BIM involves using the technology, more than four-fifths of the recurring issues in current BIM-based construction projects are related to the people and processes (i.e., the non-technological elements of BIM). Therefore, in addition to the technological skills required for using BIM, educators should also prepare university graduates with the non-technological skills required for managing the people and processes of BIM. This research’s objective is to develop a learning module that teaches the non-technological skills for addressing common, people- and process-related, issues in BIM-based construction projects. To achieve this objective, this research outlines the steps taken to create the learning module and identify its impact on a BIM course. The contribution of this research is in the understanding of the pedagogical value of the developed problem-based learning module and documenting the learning module’s development process.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 201

EXPLORING SENIOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ APPROACH TO PROCESS SAFETY DECISION MAKING

Despite investments in chemical process safety education, evidence suggests that engineers’ decision making may contribute to process safety incidents. Currently, limited educational endeavors in process safety decision making exist, raising the need for a better understanding of how to prepare chemical engineering students for industry decisions. This dissertation fortifies current process safety education through three studies involving senior chemical engineering students. Study One developed the Engineering Process Safety Research Instrument (EPSRI) through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Educators may use the EPSRI to evaluate their students’ moral development. Study Two evaluated a digital process safety game, Contents Under Pressure, on students’ moral decision making. Study Two supports supplementing process safety curriculum with digital games because the game simulates process safety decisions in a plant environment, providing immersive first-hand experience without real-world risks. Study Two showed that students who played Contents Under Pressure made authentic decisions in the game, advancing their moral development. Study Three explored how students consider process safety criteria when making decisions, finding that safety takes precedence over other criteria, such as productivity, despite potential negative implications. Study Three supports educators contextualizing incident case studies with discussion on how process safety criteria compete