Simulations Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Upon visiting the megalithic site of Ħaġar Qim in Malta, one is immediately struck by the fine workmanship of the remaining façade. However, studies on remains of a model discovered in another local megalithic site which represents a megalithic façade, indicated that today’s Ħaġar Qim façade is none other than a fraction of what should have been the original façade. A previous study showed the virtual reconstruction of the original Ħaġar Qim façade in its original setting [1]. This paper represents the visualisation of computer simulations of various lighting conditions on this construction. The façade was exposed to natural sunlight at the earliest hours of the day, followed by mid day lighting conditions leading to dusk and sunset simulations. Further to this, a hypothetical artificial fire light was also simulated and represented at various positions.
Since this is the first virtual 3D model of the Ħaġar Qim façade, it is also the first occasion to be able to view this magnificent entrance way in various situations in which the real Ħaġar Qim façade could have been visualised around 5500 years ago but cannot be experienced today.

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- Communication, Cultural Heritage, Simulation (Computer Science), 3D Reconstruction

The recent advance of numerical prediction methods in nearly all domains of materials science and engineering has established a new, exciting, interdisciplinary approach which is often referred to as “computational materials science”. It brings together elements from materials science, physics, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, and mechanical engineering. For instance, simulations in the field of materials physics concentrate on the investigation of lattice and defect dynamics at the atomic scale using molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo methods. Materials-related simulations in the field of mechanical engineering focus on large-scale construction problems, using finite element methods where the microstructure is incorporated by using averaging constitutive laws. In contrast to these examples, the classical domain of materials science can be seen in the investigation of lattice defects and their interactions at the mesoscale. Performing simulations on this particular scale is a great challenge, in that it must bridge enormous space and time scales and provide concepts to describe adequately complex many-body interaction phenomena. For this purpose a variety of new concepts has been developed which enables one to handle the interaction of many individual lattice defects in a more or less discrete manner at dimensions above the atomic scale and below the macroscopic scale. These so-called mesoscale simulation methods include deterministic and probabilistic cellular automata with global and local transformation rules, Ginzburg–Landau-type phase field kinetic methods, dislocation dynamics, polycrystal and non-linear crystal plasticity finite element models, geometrical and component models, topological network or vertex models, and multistate kinetic Potts-type Monte Carlo approaches. However, classical techniques such as molecular dynamics, Metropolis Monte Carlo, and conventional finite element simulations are also used extensively. Although an increasing body of excellent conference proceedings, monographs, and journals are available covering particular aspects of computational materials science, no comprehensive overview of that field exists (see General Reading). This contribution aims to fill that gap. It gives a review of modern approaches to the space- and time-discretized simulation of materials microstructures, together with the respective theoretical backgrounds, that currently prevail in materials science. Particular emphasis is placed on the fundamentals of space- and time-discretized simulations of materials microstructures at the mesoscale.

- by Dierk Raabe
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- Materials Science, Crystal Plasticity, Simulations, Continuum
- by Nils Ellebrecht and +2
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- Sociology of Disaster, Fire and Emergency Services, Security, Emergency Management

The purpose of this article is to empower those interested in teaching students powerful and engaging social studies. Through the lens of Supreme Court simulations, this article provides educators with a viable, classroom-tested lesson plan to bring Problem-Based Learning into their classrooms. The specific aim of the lesson is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in relevant and powerful civics education.

O PRESENTE TRABALHO CONTEMPLA UMA ESTRATÉGIA DIDÁTICA REALIZADA EM UMA TURMA DE ESTUDANTES DO ENSINO MÉDIO, TRAZENDO COMO OBJETIVO A APROXIMAÇÃO DE MÉTODOS E TÉCNICAS LABORATORIAIS COM O COTIDIANO, BEM COMO A ELUCIDAÇÃO DE RISCOS PRESENTES NO AMBIENTE LABORATORIAL.
METODOLOGICAMENTE, A PROPOSTA APRESENTA TRÊS ENCONTROS PRESENCIAIS E UMA ATIVIDADE SIMULADA REALIZADA. NO PRIMEIRO ENCONTRO HOUVERAM APROXIMAÇÕES, POR MEIO DE UMA PROPOSTA EXPOSITIVA E
DIALOGADA DE TÉCNICAS DE LABORATÓRIO DE QUÍMICA, COM PROCESSOS COTIDIANOS; NO SEGUNDO ENCONTRO
OS ESTUDANTES REALIZARAM UMA ATIVIDADE DE INVESTIGAÇÃO NO LABORATÓRIO DA ESCOLA, COM ATIVIDADE
SIMULADA NO TRY-LABSTER, SE PORTANDO COMO UM LABORATÓRIO VIRTUAL, BUSCANDO-SE ENTENDER RISCOS
NO LABORATÓRIO; E POR FIM, O TERCEIRO ENCONTRO VERSOU NA REALIZAÇÃO DE UM QUESTIONÁRIO E ENTREGA
DAS ATIVIDADES REALIZADAS. OS RESULTADOS APONTAM QUE BOA PARTE DOS ESTUDANTES COMPREENDEM OS
BENEFÍCIOS ASSOCIADOS ÀS PRÁTICAS EXPERIMENTAIS NO LABORATÓRIO, ENTENDENDO A NECESSIDADE DE
MELHORIAS, MAS DESCONSIDERANDO RISCOS EVIDENTES EM PRÁTICAS LABORATORIAIS

- by Flávia C G C Vasconcelos and +1
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- Simulations, Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

- by ilhan umut
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- Computer Science, Physics, Education, Instructional Design

The main goal of this study is to present the significant difference between utilization of simulations of physics experiment during lectures and traditional physics lecture. Two groups of 115 students were selected for the purpose of the study. The same subjects have been taught to both groups, while a group of 115 had their lectures in science and technology class supported by physics experiment simulations for a month, the other group of 115 had their lectures in a traditional way. The r esearch has been conducted in Izzet Unver highs school in Istanbul, Gungoren. The main resource of this research is the data collected through surveys. The survey is a result of the literature and the suggestions of the experts on the topic. Thirty questions were prepared under ten topics. Two different surveys were conducted during the data collection. While the first survey questions focused on the effects of traditional lecturing on students, the second survey questions were targeting the effects of lecturing via the support of psychics experiment simulations. The data collected as a result of the survey which was coded in to SPSS Software and statistical anal yses was conducted. In order to test the significant difference between the means t-test was utilized. 0.05 was chosen as the significance level. As a result of the analyses utilized, significant differences were found in their satisfaction on class materials, in their motivation, in their learning speed, in their interest in the class, and in their c ontribution to the class. In findings such as the effect on students' learning, information availability, organization of information, students' integration to the class and gaining different point of views " lectures supported by physics experiment simulations " is significantly different from traditional lecturing. As the result of the literature review and the statistical analyses, " lectures supported via physics experiment simulations " seem to be more effective than traditional lecturing in science classes, in issues such as variability of approaches, student concept delusions, laboratory applications, utilization of information technologies and simulations.

We compare the probability of k-Connectivity of an ad hoc network under Random Way Point (RWP),City Section and Manhattan mobility models. A Network is said to be k-Connected if there exists at least k edge disjoint paths between any pair of nodes in that network at any given time and velocity. Initially, for each of the three mobility models, the movement of the each node in the ad hoc network at a given velocity and time are captured and stored in the Node Movement Database (NMDB). Using the movements in the NMDB, the location of the node at a given time is computed and stored in the Node Location Database (NLDB). A weighted graph is created using the location of the nodes from NLDB, which is converted into a residual graph. The k-Connectivity of this residual graph is obtained by running
Ford-Fulkerson’s algorithm on it. Ford Fulkerson’s algorithm computes the maximum flow of a network by recording the flows assigned to different routes from each node to all the other nodes in the network. When run for a particular source-destination pair (s, d) pair on a residual network graph with unit edge weights as capacity, the maximum flow determined by Ford-Fulkerson’ algorithm is the number of edge disjoint s-d paths on the network graph. Simulations show that the RWP model yields the highest probability of k-Connectivity compared to City Section and Manhattan mobility models for a majority of different node densities and velocities considered. Simulation results also show that, for all the three mobility models, as the k value increases, the probability of k-Connectivity decreases for a given density
and velocity and as the density increases the probability of k-Connectivity increases.

Virtual worlds are providing opportunities for the development of innovative curricula to enhance distance education. In these environments, students can participate in authentic learning activities that resembles real life tasks and scenarios. In addition, virtual worlds provide the platform for students to perform tasks that are too expensive or dangerous to undertake in real life. Well-designed simulations deployed in these virtual environments can provide risk-free and cost-effective simulations of those authentic contexts that facilitate optimal learning, especially when coupled with the capability for tactile precision and haptic feedback. This paper will explore what a virtual world is before investigating the uses of these environments for learning. The challenges and opportunities for educators and learners using virtual worlds for distance education will be examined. The paper concludes with a brief look at the potential for future development of how users interact with virtual worlds in distance learning.

- by Helen Farley
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- Education, Educational Technology, E-learning, Higher Education

Web Service Computing is a recent evolution in Distributed Computing series and it is an emerging and fast growing paradigm in the present scenario. Web Service Computing is a diversified discipline suite that related to the technologies of Business Process Integration and Management, Grid / Utility / Cloud Computing paradigms, autonomic computing, as well as the business and scientific applications. It applies the theories of Science and Technology for bridging the gap between Business Services and IT Services. Service oriented computing addresses how to enable the technology to help people to perform business processes more efficiently and effectively, ultimately resulting in creating WIN-WIN strategy between the business organizations and end users. The greatest significance of the web services is their interoperability, which allows businesses to dynamically publish, discover, and aggregate a range of Web services through the Internet to more easily create innovative products, business processes and value chains both from organization and end user points of views. Due to these, this cross discipline attracts the variety of researchers from various disciplines to conduct the versatile research and experiments in this area.

The use of computer simulations in different scientific activities has grown considerably in the last few years. However, philosophical reflection on computer simulations is rather scarce, partly due to the relative novelty of this type of activity and also probably because of its complexity. Among the crucial elements necessary to analyze simulations philosophically, the decision as to what aspects will be taken into account or what perspective should be adopted to undertake the investigation is most important.
In the present work we suggest that an analysis based on exploratory strategies can be used to illuminate and characterize epistemic and methodological aspects of computer simulations. Putting the focus on the exploratory strategies implies adopting a perspective which although is relevant to the experiments and simulation analysis, is not limited or circumscribed to any of these areas. Exploratory strategies can be found in very diverse scientific practices, not withstanding they can be used to underline philosophically relevant aspects of experimental practices as well as of computer simulation practices. In this way, our proposal goes explicitly beyond the comparison between experiments and simulations, although we are convinced that analyzing exploratory strategies in experiments and simulations helps substantially in the elucidation of their methodological and epistemological roles.

- by Pio Garcia
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- Virtual Laboratory, Simulations, Virtual Experiments, Physical Lab

This paper outlines the development and use of a virtual hotel for teaching hotel operations through e-simulations.
Graduates from hotel schools beginning work in the hotel industry need an appropriate mix of technical knowledge, skills
and attitudes. However, many university courses in hotel management are theoretical, and instructors have difficulty in
developing students’ technical and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a service environment. The virtual hotel
provides hotel management instructors with a realistic hotel setting, offering challenges and scenarios that allow students
to apply their theoretical learning to a range of realistic hotel situations, and develop their problem-solving and workplace
skills. The virtual hotel is an active learning tool that can be used by different classes and instructors to enhance learning
and skills application, and help students prepare and respond to real world situations in a non-threatening way.

- by Paul Penfold
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- Hotel Management, Virtual Learning, Simulations, Hospitality Education
- by Sergio Feitoza Costa
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- Design, Testing, Optimization, Validation

&amp;quot;Using computer gaming as a vehicle for instruction has the potential for profound impacts on student learning, including increased motivation, the ability to experiment with authentic learning scenarios that cannot be replicated with traditional teaching methods, and to allow students to collaborate in novel ways. Unfortunately, teachers have been apprehensive to tap into computer gaming as a teaching method because of the uncertainty involved in their ability to effectively utilize gaming in an academic setting. The purpose of this study is to use a teacher-designed history computer simulation called Revolution: Boston to demonstrate the ways in which teachers can incorporate computer games into a high school social studies curriculum. Students will participate in a week-long study that will survey their backgrounds in computer gaming, evaluate how they interact with the gaming environment, and how they connect the game to the learning process. &amp;quot;

- by james layhope and +1
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- Simulations

Considering their pacifist foreign policy, Brazil and Sweden share a growing performance and international interest: to participate in peacekeeping missions. Both countries participated in the first stabilisation mission from UN in 1948, and, in the case of Brazil, it can be highlighted the one-decade experience in command of the only peace force of eminent maritime component in the world, at Lebanon (FTM-UNIFIL), and thirteen years in command of MINUSTAH (Haiti). Sweden, in its turn, counts with the particularity of female participation since the beginning of this type of mission, having as focus Africa and Eurasia. In this context and with the closer relationship between the two countries in defence, there is the Viking Exercise, the most extensive international simulation to prepare for peacekeeping missions, where the Swedish Ministry of Defence is the main organiser and Brazil, having participated in the 2018 edition, will participate again in 2022, practising interagency cooperation, internationalisation and the development of capabilities.

- by Carolina Ambinder
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- Brazil, Sweden, Simulations, Defence and Strategic Studies
- by William Hawkes-Robinson
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- Group Therapy, Psychodrama, Education, Therapeutic Recreation
- by Eric Usher
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- Forensics, Computer Forensics, E-learning, Virtual Environments

This paper presents a comparative study of the Colpitts oscillator circuit using circuit simulations and experimental results. Different techniques of dynamical systems theory like time series plots, phase portraits and Lyapunov exponents were employed. The time series plots and phase portraits for different state variables of Colpitts oscillator circuit, obtained from PSpice simulation and experimental implementation, were compared with each other. This comparison showed that both the results are identical. It is evident that chaotic Colpitts oscillator exhibited periodic and aperiodic behavior for different values of the circuit parameters.

- by Sajid Iqbal and +2
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- Analog Circuits, Electronics, Nonlinear dynamics, Chaos Theory

Multi-sensor body scanners combined with new algorithms and social media technologies have started a revolutionary shift away from the classic desktop paradigm and into the direction of intuitive, “natural interaction” where people interface with the technological world through hand gestures, speech and body language. This article reviews recent examples of Virtual Fitting Rooms (VFRs) and supporting technologies which facilitate the shopping experience by letting customers to try-on apparel and/or mixand- match accessories without being physically present in the retail shop. These platforms are not only powerful decision tools for the on-line shopper, but also contribute to the fun factor of in-store shopping. Using depth scanning techniques, VFRs can create accurate 3D models of shoppers and meaningfully query retail digital catalogs, filter out non-fitting items and allow customers assess the styling and matching aspects in real time. In addition, omnipresent social networking features allow sending photos or videos of the shopper wearing the apparel for quick feedback. The quality of service provided by current VFRs is sufficiently high to boost sales but also minimize returns due to improper fit.

- by Sukriadi Safhar
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- E-learning, Virtual Environments, Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics

This paper is about the role of authenticity and emotion to aid learning in immersive virtual
environments; in particular the occupational health and safety in the operations and supply chain
industry. With the introduction of relatively low cost head-mounted displays such as the Oculus
Rift, it is now feasible to introduce environments that are more immersive and authentic; and allow
for further experiments on induced and experienced emotions. This article describes an experimental design to evaluate how different levels of authenticity, immersion, and emotion affect learning retention, and how they relate to each other. The container terminal scenario prepares students for site visits, showing the health and safety risks by simulating the consequences of accidents and mistakes in a work place that may cause injury or death.

This book examines how common e-learning technologies open up compelling, if limited, experiential spaces for users, similar to the imaginary worlds opened up by works of fiction. However, these experiential worlds are markedly different from the real world of physical objects and embodied relations. This book shows these differences to be of central importance for teaching and learning.

- by Norm Friesen
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- Philosophy, E-learning, Phenomenology, Online Learning

Smartphones and other mobile devices like the iPhone, Android, Kindle Fire, and iPad have boosted educators’ interest in using mobile media for education. Applications from games to augmented reality are thriving in research settings, and in some cases schools and universities, but relatively little is known about how such devices may be used for effective learning. This article discusses the selection and potential use of electronic games, simulations and augmented reality in mobile learning supported by an operational model called AIDLET. After analyzing the different approaches to the use of digital technology and games in education, and discussing their benefits and shortcomings, a framework was developed to facilitate the selection, repurposing, design and implementation of games, simulations and augmented reality, with focus on the practical aspects of the processes used in mobile learning. It is apparent that these devices for learning are valued by students and teachers alike, and that they may be used as personalized devices for amplifying learning, specifically through amplifying access to information, social networks, and ability to participate in the world. Furthermore, whereas traditional learning is based on knowledge memorization and the completion of carefully graded assignments, today, games, simulations and virtual environments turn out to be safe platforms for trial and error experimentation, i.e. learning by doing or playing. In this context, the AIDLET model was set out and verified against a taxonomy representing the main categories and genres of games, and the article concludes with implications for how teachers, instructional designers and technologists might best capitalize on the affordances of mobile devices when designing for blended learning and e-learning courses.

- by Meagan Rothschild and +1
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- E-learning, Mobile Learning, Video Games and Learning, Video Games

The focus of higher education institutions is the preparation of future professionals. To achieve this aim, innovative teaching methods are often deployed, including games and simulations, which form the subject of this paper. As the field of digital games and simulations is ever maturing, this paper attempts to systematically review the literature relevant to games and simulation pedagogy in higher education. Two researchers collaborate to apply a qualitative method, coding and synthesizing the results using multiple criteria. The main objective is to study the impact of games and simulations with regard to achieving specific learning objectives. On balance, results indicate that games and/or simulations have a positive impact on learning goals. The researchers identify three learning outcomes when integrating games into the learning process: cognitive, behavioural, and affective. As a final step, the authors consolidate evidence for the benefit of academics and practitioners in higher education interested in the efficient use of games and simulations for pedagogical purposes. Such evidence also provides potential options and pathways for future research.

- by Agoritsa Makri
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- Education, Higher Education, Game Based Learning, Digital Games

This paper reports on the development of “Virtel,” a virtual hotel for hospitality teaching and learning through e-simulations, from a pedagogical perspective. Active learning, with a strong reflective element, and teacher guided discussion will be a valuable asset to our range of teaching methods. Virtel aims to help teachers provide a realistic hospitality setting, and provide challenges and scenarios that allow students to apply their theoretical learning to situations, develop their thinking skills and develop their workplace skills. Virtel is an active learning tool that could be used by different classes and lecturers to enhance learning and skills application, and help students to face realistic workplace scenarios, and learn how to prepare and respond to live situations in a non-threatening way.

Technology in college classrooms has gone from being an enhancement to the learning experience to being something expected by both instructors and students. This design-based research investigation takes technology one step further, putting the tools used to teach directly in the hands of students. The study examined the affordances and constraints of two simulation tools for use in introductory astronomy courses. The variety of experiences participants had using two tools; a virtual reality headset and fulldome immersive planetarium simulation, to manipulate a lunar surface flyby were identified using a multi-method research approach with N = 67 participants. Participants were recruited from classes of students taking astronomy over one academic year at a two-year college. Participants manipulated a lunar flyby using a virtual reality headset and a motion sensor device in the college fulldome planetarium. Data were collected in the form of two post-treatment questionnaires using Likert-type scales and one small group interview. The small group interview was intended to elicit various experiences participants had using the tools. Responses were analyzed quantitatively for optimal flyby speed and qualitatively for salient themes using data reduction informed by a methodological framework of phenomenography to identify the variety of experiences participants had using the tools. Findings for optimal flyby speed of the Moon based on analysis of data for both the Immersion Questionnaire and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire done using SPSS software determine that the optimal flyby speed for college students to manipulate the Moon was calculated to be .04 x the radius of the Earth (3,959 miles) or 160 miles per second. A variety of different participant experiences were revealed using MAXQDA software to code positive and negative remarks participants had when engaged in the use of each tool. Both tools offer potential to actively engage students with astronomy content in college lecture and laboratory courses.

- by Pamela Maher
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- Simulations
- by Mabrouk El-Sharkawy
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- Climate Change, Soil, Photosynthesis, Agriculture
- by Tania Jiménez
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- Engineering, Computer Science, Technology, Computer Networks

Electric lighting is one of the major factors for energy consumption of
buildings. The European Directive 2010/31/EU states that from 31 December 2020
all new buildings will have to be nearly-Zero Energy Buildings, thus improving
electric lighting energy performance is a key issue. The article presents a study and
energy figures of power density and electric lighting annual consumptions for different
types of buildings, office, commercial and educational, in the northern
European country Estonia with the scope to quantify energy savings when using
different types of high-efficiency luminaires, occupancy and dimming controls,
lighting groups, and daylight contribution. The study has been conducted in relation
to the energy performance regulation for new buildings in Estonia. The scope is to
develop methods for electric lighting and daylight calculations to be used in compliance
assessment with energy requirements. Using different validated software for
electric light and daylight simulations the study analyzes three cases for office
buildings, single office, open office and meeting room, and one case for both commercial
and educational buildings. Results show that average installed power density
can be as low as 3.17 W/m2 for office rooms, 3.22 W/m2 for commercial
buildings and 2.09 W/m2 for classrooms. The reduction of energy consumption
comparing tabulated values can be up 93.3% for office rooms. Also for commercial
and educational buildings energy saving are consistent, up to 72.2% and 87.2%
respectively. The article presents as well electric light and daylight model specifications
and parameters and the different control settings and relative performance.

- by Francesco De Luca and +1
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- Energy Efficiency Buildings, Electric Lighting, Simulations, Daylighting

Next generation wireless local area networks are envisioned to serve a high number of devices with heterogeneous capabilities and service requirements. Millimeter-wave technology is expected to be able to satisfy these demands and complement the highly congested wireless networks operating in the sub-6 GHz band. However, real-world experimentation with millimeter-wave communications is not always feasible due to the significant amount of resources required and its associated costs. For these reasons, researchers resort to high fidelity system-level simulators which provide a high degree of flexibility to test complex network deployments with a reasonable level of abstraction at the physical layer. The ns-3 IEEE 802.11ad model allows researchers to study large-scale wireless networks operating in the 60 GHz band, taking into account all of the essential features supported by the standard. However, the beamforming capabilities in the current implementation still lack both the flexibility and the agility that commercial of-the-shelf devices offer. Additionally, the model relies on a simplified channel model that does not accurately reflect the characteristics of a millimeter-wave channel. In this paper, we augment our ns-3 IEEE 802.11ad model with novel features that enhance its fidelity and provide the user fine grained control over physical and MAC layer aspects of 802.11ad devices. These features include beam codebooks, multi-antenna beamforming training, beam refinement and beam tracking capabilities, and a quasi-deterministic channel model. Our work paves the way for a future implementation of the next generation wireless gigabit standard, IEEE 802.11ay.

- by Hany Assasa and +1
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- Millimeter Waves, Simulations, Phased Array Antennas, Ns-3 Simulator

Povjerenje korisnika, koje je preduslov za uspjeh na telekomunikacijskom tržištu, moguće je ostvariti samo kroz kvalitetne usluge i poslovne procese. Kvalitet usluge zavisi od velikog broja faktora, među kojima su performanse korisničkih uređaja, performanse mreže, mogućnosti uslužno specifičnih aplikacija itd. U svrhu osiguranja kvaliteta usluge poseban značaj imaju mehanizami za osiguranje mrežnih QoS (Quality of Service) parametara. Cilj mreže i usluga treba da bude postizanje željene korisničke percepcije QoE (Quality of Experience), dok je QoS glavni elemenat za postizanje tog cilja. Za postizanje željenog nivoa usluge i njegovu provjeru koriste se određene metode, a posebno mjesto zauzima simulacijska metoda. Ovaj rad ima za cilj da ukaže na značaj ove metode u analiziranju telekomunikacijskog saobraćaja kroz korištenje mrežnog simulatora NS-2.

- by Alem Čolaković
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- Telecommunications Engineering, Telecommunications, Simulation, Simulations

Multimedia and simulation programs are increasingly being used for anatomy instruction, yet it remains unclear how learning with these technologies compares with learning with actual human cadavers. Using a multilevel, quasi-experimental-control design, this study compared the effects of Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR 2.0) with a traditional undergraduate human cadaver laboratory. APR is a model-based multimedia simulation tool that uses high-resolution pictures to construct a prosected cadaver. APR also provides animations showing the function of specific anatomical structures. Results showed that the human cadaver laboratory offered a significant advantage over the multimedia simulation program on cadaver-based measures of identification and explanatory knowledge. These findings reinforce concerns that incorporating multimedia simulation into anatomy instruction requires careful alignment between learning tasks and performance measures. Findings also imply that additional pedagogical strategies are needed to support transfer from simulated to real-world application of anatomical knowledge.

- by Andy Saltarelli
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- Multimedia Learning, Simulations, Transfer of Learning

Interactive simulations, games, and role-plays have become popular methods to engage students in the classroom by assigning them specific roles within a political process and ask them to act like real political actors (Smith and Boyer, 1996). These exercises offer numerous advantages that include improved information retention, development of critical thinking, speaking and presentation skills, and increased student interest in the subject (Adams, 1973; Jones, 1980; Lantis, Kuzma and Boehrer, 2000; Newman and Twigg, 2000; Ambrosio, 2004). In the essay below we present the advantages of selecting ASEAN Plus Three (APT) as a format of interactive simulation involving several institutions of higher education. We also share our experience with organizing and conducting such an event in 2011 that involved a Regional State University (RSU) and a Private College (PC) in the USA and discuss what we have learned about the process and how students have reacted to this experience. Additionally, we also draw educators’ attention to the possibilities of partnering among educational institutions to successfully organize similar events in the future. Finally, we offer a list of resources and anthologies for similar exercises that could be incorporated in a variety of undergraduate and survey-level world politics or international relations courses.

- by James R Masterson and +1
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- Japanese Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Chinese Studies, Korean Studies

Pre-service teachers need to understand how to support ELLs in their future classrooms, yet evidence suggests that pre-service ELL training may not be as effective as we need it to be. One promising strategy for increasing pre-service teachers’ efficacy and knowledge around teaching ELLs is through a shock-and-show simulation. This strategy incorporates a Swedish-language immersion experience that simulates what it may like to be an ELL and the strategies that can help support these students. There were two phases: a lesson with limited scaffolding (shock) and an extensively scaffolded lesson (show). Our participants included 87 pre-service teachers who filled out pre- and post-surveys, including closed- and open-ended questions. t-Tests were used to determine whether differences in the scores from the two surveys were significant. We analyzed qualitative data using an interpretive approach to the development of codes, categories, and themes, which we triangulated with descriptive s...

- by Luke Brook
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- Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, Accessibility, Serious Games

In this paper, we present a design case describing the creation of a new online
version of the Diffusion Simulation Game (DSG). The DSG is a serious game that
teaches change management strategies aligned with Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of
innovations theory. The goal of the game is to promote the understanding of
strategies that result in the adoption of an instructional innovation by the staff
members of a fictional junior high school. The original board version of the
game was created in the 1970s (Molenda & Rice, 1979) and was played as part
of a course in the School of Education of a large Midwestern university. The
first online version of the game was developed in 2002 to provide access for
students in the new distance master’s program (Frick, Kim, Ludwig, & Huang,
2003). In order to overcome some of the limitations of the first online version,
a new online version of the DSG was developed. This new version was rapidly
prototyped first on paper and then in Flex Builder, ActionScript, PHP and
MySQL. The design team used a rapid prototype approach (Tripp &
Bichelmeyer, 1990) to iteratively design the user interface. In addition to
describing the design process and rationale for design decisions, we also report
results of play-tests and usability evaluations of seven recruited participants
and how the information collected from these evaluations will help us to
improve the current design.

- by Sinem Aslan and +1
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- Serious Games, Educational Games, Simulations

Underlying this move toward game-based learning environments is more than strategic opportunity or marketing; the shift toward games also represents an intellectual recognition among many that they represent experiential learning spaces, spaces where learners have rich, embodied, collaborative and cooperative interactions where they think with complex tools and resources in the service of complex problem-solving. (Squire 2005) Simulation is one of the major applications of the web in entertainment and training, but has so far received little attention from HE and FE. It is becoming increasingly clear that simulations can be used for educational purposes, but how can they be used most effectively with students? How do they affect other areas of the legal curriculum? Can all professions use them equally effectively, and if so under which conditions? These and other questions are at centre of a two-year funded project, Transactional Learning Environment (TLE) 2.0, which sets out to cre...

- by Paul Maharg
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- Assessment, Higher Education, Constructivism, Situated Learning

Grounded upon the Diffusion of Innovations theory (Rogers, 2010), a prototype of a game for social
improvement was developed to begin the process of systemic change. The purpose of the game is to disseminate
knowledge, the first step in a systematic process to affect changing mindsets. The content’s focus is on the United
Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Treaty of 1989, precisely Article 12: The Right to be
Heard and Article 13: Freedom of Expression (The U.N. International Children’s Emergency Fund [UNICEF],
2009). The Treaty was created to be a beacon of light for all children. Quite simply, it is a compilation of basic
human rights children should be afforded. All U.N. nations have ratified the CRC Treaty but one. Despite American
presidents taking an active role in initiating and supporting this call to action, the United States still abstains from
ratifying it since its inception in 1989 (UNICEF, 2009). An endogenous game was selected as the vehicle to
immerse the players in real-world scenarios with additional elements of fantasy to motivate engagement (Gunter et
al., 2008). Through simulated experiences, the game was designed to provide education about the given topic while
the pathos was intended to evoke emotion and change attitudes (Gee, 2008; Jones, 2008). It was hypothesized that
this knowledge and change in attitudes could potentially induce action leading to real-world improvement.
“Knowledge is power” (Bacon, 2001) and the first step to begin change.

- by Suzanne Ensmann
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- Children's Rights, Games, Simulations

In this article, the dynamical behavior of a three dimensional continuous time eco-epidemiological model is studied. A prey-predator model involving infectious disease in predator population is proposed and analyzed. This model deals with SI infectious disease that transmitted horizontally in predator population. It is assumed that the disease transmitted to susceptible population in two different ways: contact with infected individuals and an external sources. The existence, uniqueness and bounded-ness of the solution of this model are investigated. The local and global stability conditions of all possible equilibrium points are established. The local bifurcation analysis and a Hopf bifurcation around the positive equilibrium point are obtained. Finally, numerical simulations are given to illustrate our obtained analytical results.

Simulations are employed widely as teaching tools in political science, yet evidence of their pedagogical effectiveness, in comparison to other methods of instruction, is mixed. The assessment of learning outcomes is often a secondary concern in simulation design, and the qualitative and quantitative methods used to evaluate outcomes are frequently based on faulty paradigms of the learning process and inappropriate indicators. Correctly incorporating assessment into simulation design requires that an instructor identify whether a simulation should produce positive changes in students’ substantive knowledge, skills, and=or affective characteristics. The simulation must then be assessed in ways that accurately measure whether these goals have been achieved. Proper assessment can help demonstrate that simulations are productive tools for learning and that their popularity in the classroom is justified.

- by Simon Usherwood
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- Assessment, Assessment in Higher Education, Simulations, Games and Simulations