EFFECTS OF COMPUTER-BASED ROLE-PLAYING ON DECISION-MAKING SKILLS

The development of higher-order cognitive skills such as decision maki ng is a critical component of science education. Two studies assess de cisionmaking skills using common cognitive errors and evaluate the imp act of computer-based laboratories on the development of these skills. The first establishes the prevalence of cognitive errors among high s chool students, undergraduates, and Earth Science professionals. The s econd examines the role of computer-aided instruction in the Earth Sci ence domain on subsequent decision making. High school students took p art in either a computer or equivalent paper-and-pencil role-playing e xercise requiring students to evaluate the possible eruption of a volc ano. Students who used the computer exercise made more consistent deci sions than those who used the traditional paper-and-pencil exercise, s uggesting that well designed computer-based laboratories can positivel y impact higher-order cognitive skills.