Simulation and its Discontents

Turkle, S. (2009) Simulation and Its Discontents Cambridge: MIT Press (launch: May 2009)

From the publisher’s blurb:

Sherry Turkle examines the now dominant medium of our working lives and finds that simulation has become its own sensibility…From both sides of a generational divide, there is anxiety that in simulation, something important is slipping away…Turkle’s examination of simulation [...]

Is simulation as good as real life

Batson, T. (2009) Is simulation as good as real life? Campus Technology, March 18

Excellent article on the value of simulations versus authentic experience.

Using simulations to dig deeper in science teaching

Tinker, R. (2009) How can less be more? Concord Consortium Newsletter, Winter

A description of how the Molecular Workbench simulator can be used to allow students to play around in a world of atoms and molecules in order to gain a feel for this peculiar world.

Assessing the effectiveness of an interactive electronics lab simulation: the learners’ perspective

Kamlaskar, C. (2009) ‘Assessing the effectiveness of an interactive electronics lab simulation: the learners’ perspective’ Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, Vol. 10, No. 1

This research project involved designing, developing and piloting an interactive computer simulation in the context of electronics lab activities in a B. Tech electronics engineering program at the Maharashtra Open University, [...]

Tools for creating virtual spaces

Managed by Natasha Boskic

3D Virtual Worlds
PROJECT WONDERLAND – toolkit for Building 3D Virtual Worlds

PANDA – for 3D models

RPG MAKER – RPG maker for Windows!

Google SketchUp – for creating, modifying and sharing 3D models

ALICE – computer programming in 3D environment

ACTIVEWORLDS – Virtual Worlds Building Platform

THIAGI – training through gaming

ROCKETON – for creating your own avatars (still [...]