Lesson 10 The Computer as a Tutor

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)

                        The computer can be a tutor in effect relieving the teacher of many activities in his personal role as classroom tutor.

Even with the available computer and CAI software, the teacher must:

• Insure that students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity
•   Decide the appropriate learning objectives.
•   Plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives.
•  Evaluate the students’ achievement by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.

On the other hand, the students in CAI play their own roles as learners as they:

•     Receive information.
•      Understand instructions for the computer activity
•       Retain/keep in mind the information and rules for the computer activity
•   Apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer learning.
  

During the computer activity proper in CAI the computer, too, plays its roles as it:

• ¢  Acts as a sort of tutor (the role traditional played by the teacher)
• ¢  Provides a learning environment
• ¢  Delivers learning instruction.
• ¢  Reinforces learning trough drill-and-practice
• ¢  Provides feedback.

CAI Integrated with Lessons

CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students. In effect, CAI works best in reinforcing learning through repetitive exercises such that students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common types of drill and practice programs include: Vocabulary building, math facts, basic science, and history or geography facts.

Suggestions on when and how can teachers integrate drill and practice programs with their lessons:

• ¢  Use drill and practice programs for basic skills and knowledge that require rapid or automatic response by students
• ¢  Ensure that drill and practice activities conform to the lesson plan/curriculum.
• ¢  Limit drill and practice to 20-30 minutes to avoid boredom.
• ¢   Use drill and practice to assist students with particular weakness in basic skills.

The Tutorial software should be able to:

• ¢  Teach new content/new information
• ¢  Provide comprehensive information on concepts I addition to practice exercise.
• ¢  Can be effectively used for remediation, reviewing or enrichment
• ¢  Allow the teacher to introduce follow-up questions to stimulate students learning
• ¢  Permits group activity for cooperative learning.

Simulation Programs

Simulation software materials are another kind of software that is constructivist in nature. This simulation software:

• ¢  Teaches strategies and rules applied to real-life problems/situations.
• ¢  Ask students to make decision on models or scenarios.
• ¢  Allows students to manipulate elements of a model and get the experience of the effects of their decisions.       

Instructional Games

While relating to low-level learning objectives (e.g. basic spelling or math skill),

Instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge.

Example: GeoSafari

Problem Solving Software

These allow students to learn and improve on their problem solving ability. The students have to employ higher thinking skills such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making.

Example: Thinking Things 1

Multimedia Encyclopedia and electronic books

The Multimedia Encyclopedia can store a huge database with texts, images, animations, audio and video.

Example: eyewitness Children’s Encyclopedia.

Electronic books provide textual information for reading, supplemented by other types of multimedia information (sounds, spoken words, pictures, animation). These are useful for learning reading, spelling and words skills.