Fall
FAS Fall 2007 Public Interest Reports
Information technologies have transformed the way we bank, fight wars, shop and communicate, but this potential has not yet been realized in the way we teach and learn. Computer simulations are often used to convey difficult concepts or to create environments that are either too difficult or too expensive to replicate in the physical world. One immediate challenge is to accumulate evidence that games are more efficient and effective than traditional methods at teaching some classroom subjects while increasing the user’s interest. The Federation of American ScientistsImmune Attack (IA) to research how gameplay can be used to communicate complex concepts in a compelling and effective way……….. read more
The last couple decades have seen vast innovations in the delivery of information over networks and to the interaction between computers and humans. Educational theorists and computer programmers strived to develop various commercial and non-commercial interfaces and techniques to promote interaction.Much of the innovation in educational technology has focused on specific delivery methods. Some used learning management systems to organize electronic text materials. Others used multimedia to create animated and interactive online tutorials. A few tried to develop natural language question answering. And then there were gamers who created highly interactive role-playing games and immersive training simulations….. read more
According to legend, more than 2,000 years ago the great Chinese philosopher Confucius was the first person to found a private school in China. Were Confucius to walk into a classroom today, he would soon identify the room for its purpose, as – save a few gadgets and electrical lighting – today’s classroom shares more similarities with that of Confucius than it has differences. Technology has made rapid and meaningful advances in many fields, but we still teach our children in essentially the same manner we did over 2,000 years ago. It is time for education to catch up, and emerging virtual world technologies may provide a powerful accelerant…. read more
While this newsletter is mailed out to FAS members, more than 300 times as many people will read it using a web browser. As traditional print and video formats lose market share – particularly with younger scientists and engineers – FAS has worked hard to make effective use of new tools ranging from blogging to complex online simulations. Reporters working for newspapers or television networks make heavy use of these FAS resources, which creates a channel to reach a broad international audience directly. FAS was one of the first non-governmental organizations to have a website. Steve Aftergood was blogging before the word “blog” was coined. FAS remains today a powerful presence in these new media…read more
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