An investigation on the effectiveness of computer-aided simulation in assisting student learning of manufacturing technology

Abstract

The use of computer-aided Simulation to teach engineering-related courses is rapidly expanding in most universities. Yet the effects of computeraided Simulation on students' performance and motivation are not yet fully known. We compared the impacts of computer-aided Simulation to college students from academic and vocational high schools. Universities in Taiwan fall into two educational systems: the comprehensive universities and the technological universities. In the field of engineering, the students of comprehensive universities are recruited from academic high schools and the students of technological universities are recruited from vocational high schools. The purpose of this research is to study the differences in learning outcomes between college students with academic backgrounds and those with vocational backgrounds. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.