The effectiveness of simulations for teaching statistical concepts was compared to the effectiveness of a textbook. The variable Medium (simulation versus textbook) and Question specificity (Specific versus Non-specific), were manipulated factorially. Question specificity was defined as follows: Subjects were presented with a scenario in which gumballs were sampled from an urn. Subjects in the “Specific” condition were given a specific question about the outcome of the sampling procedure to consider; subjects in the “Non-specific” condition were asked generally to consider what would happen. A no-treatment control was included. The subjects consisted of 115 college students. The dependent variable was performance on problems requiring subjects to apply what they learned to ill defined everyday problems. Subjects trained by simulation performed significantly better than those trained with a textbook. Subjects in the “Specific” condition performed better than those in the “Non-specific” condition, although the difference did not reach conventional levels of significance. These results support the increasing use of simulation in education and training.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
FlaxmanR. E. and StarkE. A., Training Simulators, in Handbook of Human Factors, SalvendyG. (ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 1039–1058, 1987.
2.
ValverdeH. H., A Review of Flight Simulator Transfer of Training Studies, Human Factors, 15, pp. 510–523, 1973.
3.
de JongT. and van JoolingenR., Scientific Discovery learning with Computer Simulations of Conceptual Domains, Review of Educational Research, 68, pp. 179–201, 1998.
4.
McCloskeyM. and KohlD., Naive Physics: The Curvilinear Impetus Principle and Its Role in Interactions with Moving Objects, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 9, pp. 146–156, 1983.
5.
ReedS. K., Effect of Computer Graphics on Improving Estimates to Algebra Word Problems, Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, pp. 285–298, 1985.
6.
CarlsenD. D. and AndreT., Use of a Microcomputer Simulation and Conceptual Change Text to Overcome Student Preconceptions about Electric Circuits, Journal of Computer-Based Instruction, 19: 4, pp. 105–109, 1992.
7.
RieberL. P., Using Computer Animated Graphics in Science Instruction with Children, Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, pp. 135–140, 1990.
8.
RieberL. P.BoyceM., and AssadC., The Effects of Computer Animation on Adult Learning and Retrieval Tasks, Journal of Computer-Based Instruction, 17, pp. 46–52, 1990.
9.
RieberL. P. and ParmleyM. W., To Teach or Not to Teach? Comparing the Use of Computer-Based Simulations in Deductive versus Inductive Approaches to Learning with Adults in Science, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 13, pp. 359–374, 1995.
10.
CobbG., Reconsidering Statistics Education: A National Science Foundation Conference, Journal of Statistics Education, 1, 1993.
11.
WackerlyD. and LangJ., ExplorStat, Paper presented at the Joint Statistics Meeting, Chicago, August 1996.
LaneD. M., HyperStat: Hypermedia for Learning Statistics and Analyzing Data, Academic Press, New York, 1993.
15.
LaneD. M., The Rice Virtual Lab in Statistics, Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 31, pp. 24–33, 1999.
16.
delMasR.GarfieldJ., and ChanceB., Assessing the Effects of a Computer Microworld on Statistical Reasoning, Proceedings of Fifth Conference of the International Council of Teachers of Statistics (ICOTS5), Singapore, July 1998.
17.
de JongT.HartelH.SwaakJ., and van JoolingenW., Support for Simulation-Based Learning: The Effects of Assignments in Learning about Transmission Lines, in Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering, de Ilarazza SanchezDiaz A., and de CastroFernandez I. (eds.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, pp. 9–27, 1998.
18.
DettermanD., The Case for the Prosecution: Transfer as in Epiphenomenon, in Transfer on Trial: Intelligence, Cognition, and Instruction, DettermanD. and SternbergR. (eds.), Ablex Publishing Company, Norwood, New Jersey, pp. 1–24, 1993.
19.
FongG. T.KrantzD. H., and NisbettR. E., The Effects of Statistical Training on Thinking about Everyday Problems, Cognitive Psychology, 18, pp. 253–292, 1986.
20.
FongG. T. and NisbettR. E., Immediate and Delayed Transfer of Training Effects in Statistical Reasoning, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 120, pp. 34–45, 1991.
21.
KosonenP. and WinneP. H., Effects of Teaching Statistical Laws on Reasoning about Everyday Problems, Journal of Educational Psychology, 87, pp. 33–46, 1995.
22.
LowryR., The Architecture of Chance: An Introduction to the Logic and Arithmetic of Probability, Oxford University Press, New York, 1989.
23.
RosenbergK. M., Statistics for Behavioral Sciences, Wm. C. Brown, Dubuque, 1990.
24.
SpatzC., Basic Statistics: Tales of Distributions, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, Pacific Grove, California, 1993.
25.
ChenB., Transfer Between Different Contexts: Examining the Effect of Interaction, unpublished Master's thesis, Rice University, 1999.
26.
GriggsR. A. and CoxJ. R., The Elusive Thematic-Materials Effect in Wason's Selection Task, British Journal of Psychology, 73, pp. 407–420, 1982.
27.
SchmidtR. A. and BjorkR. A., New Conceptualizations of Practice: Common Principles in Three Paradigms Suggest New Concepts for Training, Psychological Science, 3, pp. 207–217, 1992.
28.
SheaJ. B. and MorganR. L., Contextual Interference Effects on the Acquisition, Retention, and Transfer of a Motor Skill, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 5, pp. 179–187, 1979.
29.
LandauerT. K. and BjorkR. A., Optimum Rehearsal Patterns and Name Learning, in Practical Aspects of Memory, GrunebergM. M.MorrisP. E., and SykesR. N. (eds.), Academic Press, London, pp. 625–632, 1979.
30.
GrimesP. W. and WilleyT. E., The Effectiveness of Microcomputer Simulations in the Principles of Economics Course, Computers & Education, 14, pp. 81–86, 1990.
31.
RiversR. H. and VockellE., Computer Simulations to Stimulate Scientific Problem Solving, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 24, pp. 403–415, 1987.
