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A recent trend in hydroinformatics has been the growing number of data, models, and cyber tools, which are web accessible, each aiming to improve common research tasks in hydrology through web technologies. Coupling web-based models and tools holds great promise for an integrated environment that can facilitate community participation, collaboration, and scientific replication. There are many examples of server-side, hydroinformatics resource coupling, where a common standard serves as an interface. Yet, there are few, if any, examples of client-side resource coupling, particularly cases where a common specification is employed. Toward this end, we implemented the basic model interface (BMI) specification in the JavaScript programing language, the most widely used programing language on the web. By using BMI, we coupled two client-side hydrological applications (HydroLang and HLM-Web) to perform rainfall–runoff simulations of historical events with rainfall data and a client-side hydrological model as a case study demonstration. Through this process, we present how a common and often tedious task – the coupling of two independent web resources – can be made easier through the adoption of a common standard. Furthermore, applying the standard has facilitated a step toward the possibility of client-side ‘Model as a Service’ for hydrological models. HIGHLIGHTS We present the basic model interface (BMI) specification for the JavaScript programming language.; We present a comprehensive example of how BMI may be used as a common standard to couple client-side, hydroinformatics web resources.; For developers, BMI for JavaScript simplifies the effort needed to implement an Application Programing Interface for their resource.; For users, BMI for JavaScript accelerates learning and working with a new resource.;

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Computational hydrological models and simulations are fundamental pieces of the workflow of contemporary hydroscience research, education, and professional engineering activities. In support of hydrological modelling efforts, web-enabled tools for data processing, storage, computation, and visualization have proliferated. Most of these efforts rely on server resources for computation and data tasks and client-side resources for visualization. However, continued advancements of in-browser, client-side compute performance present an opportunity to further leverage client-side resources. Towards this end, we present an operational rainfall-runoff model and simulation engine running entirely on the client side using the JavaScript programming language. To demonstrate potential uses, we also present an easy-to-use in-browser interface designed for hydroscience education. Although the use case presented here is self-contained, the core technologies can extend to leverage multi-core processing on single machines and parallelization capabilities of multiple clients or JavaScript-enabled servers. These possibilities suggest that client-side hydrological simulation can play a central role in a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem of web-ready hydrological tools. HIGHLIGHTS We present the Hillslope Link Model (HLM)-Web, a simulation engine for rainfall-runoff modelling in JavaScript.; The simulation engine runs full-scale, physically based rainfall-runoff models.; All computations are performed on the client side within the browser.; HLM-Web is demonstrated with a use case for hydroscience education.; The use case facilitates hydrological education and research ‘sandboxing’.;

Context: Collaboration and digitization in work and production process have been of scientific interest in the research field of vocational education and training for decades. So far, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the extent to which the performance of collaborative problem-solving can outperform individual problem-solving. An appropriate instrument for measuring collaborative performance appropriately has been lacking to this point: It is challenging to (1) collect data on interaction in collaboration in a standardized way and (2) to assign the individual performances to the group performance. In a web-based office simulation, this study examined the two-dimensional construct of collaborative problem-solving ability, which consists of cognitive and social components, and explored the effectiveness of collaboration. Methods: The test settings are systematically varied between individual and collaborative problem-solving in a domain-typical problem scenario in the economic domain. A theory-driven two-dimensional authentic instrument with a complex commercial problem in a web-based office simulation was applied to measure the performance in these two test settings. Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted to test for measurement invariance across test settings, the two-dimensional RASCH-Model incorporating between-item multidimensionality with correlated dimensions was used for ability estimation. ANOVA test was conducted to determine if there is a statistically significant difference with respect to the ability between the individual and collaborative test settings. Findings: The two-dimensional construct of collaborative problem-solving ability with correlated dimensions showed better fit than the unidimensional construct. The scalar measurement invariance was established after excluding three items. ANOVA tests confirmed that the collaborative setting enhances the problem-solving ability of learners significantly in both the cognitive component and social component, and the ability in cognitive component was more fostered. Conclusion: The findings suggested the validation of this multidimensional authentic instrument to measure the performance in a collaborative work environment in economic domains. The results showed the effectiveness of collaboration with a computer-based agent. In the practice of vocational training and education, teachers can use this instrument for the evaluation of the effectiveness of collaboration.

Context: Dealing with professional complexity has been of scientific interest in the research field of vocational education and training for decades. So far, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding how professional complexity finds its way into learning processes in VET. A common option is to model complexity through authentic simulations and/or problemsolving tasks. This study does both: Complex problem-solving tasks are integrated into an authentic office simulation and are expanded to include collaborative elements, using computer-based agents. Collaboration is used to improve learning, but it is also an authentic representation of current work processes, so we ask whether apprentices perform better in the individual or in the collaborative test setting. Methods: To compare skills used for complex problem-solving tasks within an authentic business simulation, the test settings are systematically varied between individual and collaborative test settings. The test environment is a technology-based assessment (TBA). Test tasks reflect a complex professional problem; they are presented in an office simulation, in which apprentices can collaborate with a computer-based agent. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis is conducted to test for measurement invariance across test settings, and the two-dimensional Rasch-model incorporating between-item multidimensionality with correlated dimensions is used for ability estimation. We also conduct ANOVA tests to determine if there is a statistically significant difference regarding the problem-solving ability between the individual and collaborative test settings. Findings: The study provides various findings: First, collaboration helps apprentices to deal with complexity. Second, to solve complex problem-solving tasks, two bundles of skills are activated: Cognitive and social skills. The two-dimensional construct of skills with correlated dimensions showed better fit than the unidimensional construct. The scalar measurement invariance was established after excluding three items. ANOVA tests confirmed that the collaborative setting enhances the problem-solving ability of learners significantly regarding both, cognitive skills and social skills, with cognitive skills being fostered more. Conclusion: The findings suggest the validation of the two-dimensional construct with cognitive and social skills in economic domains. The results show the effectiveness of collaboration with a computer-based agent. In the practice of vocational training and education, teachers can use digitalized collaborative approaches to enhance learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Today, learning is perceived as a challenge that must be faced simultaneously on numerous fronts. Indeed, learning is no longer confined to the classroom. Students have the opportunity to learn inside and outside the classroom walls. Technology plays its part, as does the abundance of information available on social networks and in the mass media. Educators must stay abreast of change as information and potentially useful technological resources leave traditional education behind. Optimising class time through new methods, techniques and resources is paramount in today’s education systems. This paper presents the results of a quantitative study of students’ written production in English. The English writing skills of engineering students were developed using situational (or class) simulations and a large-scale web-based simulation in real time. Quantitative analysis of students’ written production was used to test for differences between experimental and control groups. The goal of this study was to show that simulation-based instruction contributes significantly to students’ progress in written production in English. The results showed that students who received simulation-based instruction (experimental group) significantly improved their English writing skills, primarily in terms of organisation and linking of ideas more than students who attended a regular English course (control group).

A rapid development and omnipresence of the World-Wide-Web and its technologies have had remarkable impact on the field of computer simulation, understood as a numerical technique for conducting experiments with certain types of mathematical and logical models, describing the behavior of a system on a computer over extended periods of time. One of the computer simulation methods used to solve complex management problems is System Dynamics (SD). The aim of this paper is the review of SD Web-based tools in the context of some technology aspects of Web-based simulation and its advantages and disadvantages.

Foreign language teachers and researchers face a major challenge enabling students' learning. Not only must they provide training in the target language, but they must also find ways to optimise class time and enhance students' communication skills in the target language. How does technology intersect with English teaching in ways that benefit learning? A possible approach would align with integrating web-based strategies and optimising class time through new methodologies, techniques and resources. In this study, a group of university engineering students were taught with simulations to aid their learning of English as a foreign language. These engineering students were taught English through both class-based and a large-scale real-time web-based simulation. We present the results of quantitative analysis of students' oral production. The goal was to show whether simulation-based instruction contributes to significant progress in oral language production in English. The results indicate that students progressed significantly in four language-related areas: vocabulary, pronunciation, variety of expression and grammar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed an information management tool for the EDISON (EDucation-research Integration through Simulation On the Net) open platform. EDISON is, at present, a web-based simulation service for education and research in five computational areas, namely, nanophysics, fluid dynamics, chemistry, structural dynamics, and computer aided optimal design. The EDISON open platform consists of three tiers: EDISON application framework, EDISON middleware, and EDISON infra-resources. The platform provides web portals for education and research in areas such as computational fluid dynamics, computational chemistry, computational nanophysics, computational structural dynamics, and computer aided optimal design along with user service. The main purpose of this research is to test the behavior of the release version of the EDISON Open-Platform under normal operating conditions. This management tool has been implemented using the RESTful API designed in EDISON middleware. The intention is to check co-operation between the middleware and the infrastructure. Suggested tools include User management, Simulation and Job management, and Simulation software (i.e., solver) testing. Finally, it is considered meaningful to develop a management tool that is not supported in other web-based online simulation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relates the experience that students have while accessing Virtual Property Manager (VPM), a Web-based simulation learning tool designed to introduce students to a new discipline being offered at the university – Residential Property Management. The VPM simulation was designed in part to develop student interest in the new program. Results indicate that this simple simulation device did make a notable impact on student interest. Additionally, student acceptance and self-reported impact differed significantly based upon the delivery context. Adding a competitive reward element to the simulation experience improved student's evaluation of the software and self-reported interest in the field. Results indicate that educational simulation evaluation, acceptance, and performance may often be substantially influenced by the delivery context, rather than simply the program itself. Developers may do well to focus "outside the box" of program content to promote audience-specific delivery environments.

In the traditional deductive approach in teaching any engineering topic, teachers would first expose students to the derivation of the equations that govern the behavior of a physical system and then demonstrate the use of equations through a limited number of textbook examples. This methodology, however, is rarely adequate to unmask the cause-effect and quantitative relationships between the system variables that the equations embody. Web-based simulation, which is the integration of simulation and internet technologies, has the potential to enhance the learning experience by offering an interactive and easily accessible platform for quick and effortless experimentation with physical phenomena.This paper presents the design and development of a web-based platform for teaching basic food engineering phenomena to food technology students. The platform contains a variety of modules (“virtual experiments”) covering the topics of mass and energy balances, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. In this paper, the design and development of three modules for mass balances and heat transfer is presented. Each webpage representing an educational module has the following features: visualization of the studied phenomenon through graphs, charts or videos, computation through a mathematical model and experimentation. The student is allowed to edit key parameters of the phenomenon and observe the effect of these changes on the outputs. Experimentation can be done in a free or guided fashion with a set of prefabricated examples that students can run and self-test their knowledge by answering multiple-choice questions.

In the traditional deductive approach in teaching any engineering topic, teachers would first expose students to the derivation of the equations that govern the behavior of a physical system and then demonstrate the use of equations through a limited number of textbook examples. This methodology, however, is rarely adequate to unmask the cause-effect and quantitative relationships between the system variables that the equations embody. Web-based simulation, which is the integration of simulation and internet technologies, has the potential to enhance the learning experience by offering an interactive and easily accessible platform for quick and effortless experimentation with physical phenomena. This paper presents the design and development of a web-based platform for teaching basic food engineering phenomena to food technology students. The platform contains a variety of modules ("virtual experiments") covering the topics of mass and energy balances, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. In this paper, the design and development of three modules for mass balances and heat transfer is presented. Each webpage representing an educational module has the following features: visualization of the studied phenomenon through graphs, charts or videos, computation through a mathematical model and experimentation. The student is allowed to edit key parameters of the phenomenon and observe the effect of these changes on the outputs. Experimentation can be done in a free or guided fashion with a set of prefabricated examples that students can run and self-test their knowledge by answering multiple-choice questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The importance of team dynamics with regard to clinical performance is being emphasized to improve patient safety and the quality of health care. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation and differences in team dynamics and team clinical performance in a web-based simulation (WS) and high-fidelity simulation (HS) in the medical students. Methods: The simulations were held for 15 teams of fourth year medical students (n=52). They were given two clinical cases, dyspnea (case 1) and chest pain (case 2) by WS and then HS. The scores on the team dynamics and the team's clinical performance were analyzed by paired t-test and multiple regression using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp.). Results: The teamwork scores on case 2 (22.67±6.58) were higher than for case 1 in the HS (20.47±7.22). Team clinical performance scores were the same the WS and HS. Team clinical performances were significantly associated with team dynamics in both cases by HS. Teamwork scores of team dynamics were each explanation on case 1 (74.9%), case 2 (63.4%) in the HS. Conclusion: The team dynamics and clinical performance can improve if undergraduate medical students have more opportunities. They should be trained in these endeavors to become future doctors for which scenario-based simulations could be valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces Floasys, a Web-based platform to foster the collaboration among engineers involved in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The platform has been designed around the simulation data, i.e., fostering and stimulating sharing, re-use and aggregation of models, simulation results and engineers annotations. Floasys requirements come directly from an extensive requirements study that we conducted with two different teams in Automobiles (FCA), geographically distributed, who daily perform an intense activity of CFD simulations to design vehicle products. Collaborative requirements were gathered through stakeholders' interviews and a user survey. We describe, first, Functional and Non-Functional requirements as suggested by relevant literature (both in scientific and industrial setting) and by the user survey performed within FCA teams. Then, we show Floasys functionalities and its architecture, that is based on a centrally managed repository of simulation data. By enriching the repository with metadata annotations, Floasys provides all the desired functionalities to allow CFD analysts an easy and immediate access to simulation data and results performed within the teams so that they can leverage them to make the right design decisions. In this paper, we were able to (1) identify key collaborative requirements for CFD design, (2) address each of them with an integrated, extensible and modular architecture, (3) implement a working industrial prototype (currently under testing and evaluation in a real setting like FCA), and (4) identify the possible extensions to different contexts (like aeronautic, rail and naval sectors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research project investigated student reaction to playing the DIFFUSION SIMULATION GAME (DSG) and how an instructor, who is a novice in playing online games, implemented the DSG in an online higher education course. The goal of this research project was to determine whether playing the DSG helps students learn and apply course content. In addition, the authors sought to understand how to implement and use the DSG effectively as an integral part of the online Managing Technological Change course. Results indicated that student reaction to playing the game was very positive and students felt the game helped them better understand the change process. For example, students felt the DSG provided insight into school culture, the amount of time needed to implement a change, and the need for a change agent to be flexible. The instructor learned the importance of clearly identifying learning goals when using the DSG in an online course and realized that debriefing is a critical component of using games or simulations for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators increasingly view the high level of engagement and experiential learning offered by games as a means to promote learning. However, as with any designed learning experience, player experiences should provide an accurate representation of content to be learned. In this study, the authors investigated the DIFFUSION SIMULATION GAME (DSG) to assess the consistency of strategies effective in the game with those implied to be effective by the diffusion of innovations theory on which the game is based. They analyzed records from 2,361 completed game sessions of the DSG and compared successful and unsuccessful strategies. They further compared successful gameplay strategies with strategies suggested by the diffusion of innovations theory. The data analysis indicated that four of the seven winning strategies were inconsistent with what the theory predicts. However, this conclusion is tentative, given limitations of temporal detail in available data. These limitations imply how data should be collected to better investigate strategies that result in successful DSG gameplay. In addition, the study provides a case in which objective methods were used to analyze patterns of gameplay and offers insight on how data should be collected to analyze patterns more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper explores the engineering contributions of a Web-based simulator of fruit fly, particularly with regards to software and system infrastructure. This simulation system is the result of a multidisciplinary effort in the areas of ecological simulation modelling and software/systems engineering, in order to provide tools to support decision making in biosecurity. We report on the following interesting software and system engineering aspects: catering for a variety of users, scalability issues, response time requirements, a three-tiered development environment, Web-suitable architecture, a flexible data interchange format, a range of cooperating underlying temporal–spatial models, and the need for evaluation in for non-functional aspects such as scalability in execution time and memory requirements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Powerful new features may be incorporated to simulation environments by exploiting existing Web technology. To demonstrate this, WebManSim, a prototype web-based manufacturing system simulator has been developed. The proposed system includes project management principles, supports communication and voting and provides workflow facilities and simulation program generation - execution capabilities. Such a system provides close monitor to the evolution of the simulation project, enhances the coordination and communication of the simulation participants, identifies and resolves conflicts that may arise in the simulation team and creates virtual simulation expert communities. The use of such a system may improve the simulation team coordination by automatically initiating project tasks as soon as possible, reduce the project duration by eliminating dead time between activities and decrease the overall simulation project cost by minimizing the face-to-face meetings especially when used by project teams located at geographically remote places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The complex and invisible services in smart home can lead to the difficulty in occupant role over the whole smart home life-cycle beginning from the design process to the occupancy stage. As any smart home will be eventually used by end users, providing a method to enhance user participation and user comprehension on how smart equipments and service will be installed as well as be operated is indispensable. Nonetheless, there is no research which applies the user-centered approach on the smart home design stage so far. This paper is focused on how to create and to implement virtual space using virtual reality technology as a platform to simulate smart home service configuration. A new framework comprises Spatial Context-aware Place Data Model, Place and Avatar Agents, and Web Service is firstly introduced in this paper. By means of context-aware building data model, human–space interaction which is vital for simulating smart home functions and services are realized in the virtual environment. Together with VR, the platform is capable of visualizing invisible services, performing real-time interactions with the home, and acknowledging the users how it can be configured and operated according to their individual needs. In addition, the web-based service increases the system accessibility and usability as users can log-in from anywhere to collaborate with each others. Because smart home is extremely difficult for users to gain insight of smart service configuration, our research position is to express a user-oriented approach by applying the concept of U-VR to smart home simulation model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents some personal reflections on how information technology is moving towards effective and efficient application in control education. The time has arrived for virtual and remote labs to make use of the facilities that the World Wide Web (WWW) provides. The replacement of traditional laboratories with virtual or remote laboratories is presented. Their advantages and disadvantages are evaluated from a critical point of view. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]