Nora Bynum, in her POD post of 9 Jun 2007 titled "Published
literature on effectiveness of interactive exercises" wrote
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for our project developing teaching resources for the university
level on topics related to conservation biology
<http://ncep.amnh.org>, we are looking for published literature
discussing the effectiveness of interactive exercises (exercises
where the students interact individually or in groups with a computer
simulation, in our case a marine fisheries exercise where one can
vary fishing intensity or reserve areas). Does anyone know of
relevant literature?
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"PhET consists of interactive 'virtual' physics experiments that can
be used to demonstrate such things as what is happening as
electricity flows through wires and light bulbs, how the greenhouse
effect in the atmosphere warms the Earth and what happens in a
microwave oven. PhET simulations are used extensively in high schools
and colleges in Colorado and throughout the world, Wieman said. The
free, online experiments are aimed at high school students, college
undergraduates and the general public."
A list of publications, relevant to PhET is at
<http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/research.html>. Some of these
discuss the effectiveness of interactive exercises, e.g.:
"Transforming Physics Education" [Wieman & Perkins (2006) - scroll
down to " reality of virtual physics"];
"PhET: Interactive Simulations for Teaching and Learning Physics"
[Perkins et al. (2006)];
"Study of Educational Simulations Part I - Engagement and Learning"
[Adams et al. (in press);
"Study of Educational Simulations Part II - Engagement and Learning"
[Adams et al. (in press).
BTW:
1. Nora Bynum is Project Director of the Network of Conservation
Educators and Practitioners (NCEP) <http://ncep.amnh.org> , a
"global project to improve the practice of biodiversity conservation
by improving training in biodiversity conservation."
2. Those concerned with conservation biology may be interested in
the online publication "Ecology and Society" (formerly "Conservation
Ecology") <http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/Journal/>.
Perkins, K., W. Adams, M. Dubson, N. Finkelstein, S. Reid, C.
Wieman, & R. LeMaster. 2006. "PhET: Interactive Simulations for
Teaching and Learning Physics," Phys. Teach. 44: 18-23; freely online
as a 260kB pdf at <http://tinyurl.com/252teu>.
Adams, W. K., S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S.B. McKagan, K.K. Perkins, &
C.E. Wieman. In press. Journal of Interactive Learning Research,
"Study of Educational Simulations Part I - Engagement and Learning";
online at <http://tinyurl.com/3bqhyo>.
Adams, W.K., S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S.B. McKagan, K.K. Perkins, & C.
E. Wieman. In press. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, In
Press. A Study of Educational Simulations Part II - Interface Design;
online at <http://tinyurl.com/349gzw>.