LESSON 10: The Computer as a Tutor

     

 The computer is the human ingenuity. Even its original design in the 1950’s. with the intervention of the microcomputer ( now also   commonly referred to PC’s or personal computers, the PC has become the tool for program instructions.

       Educators saw much use of the PC. They saw its potential for individualization in learning, especially as individualized learning is a problem since teachers usually with a class of forty or more learners. They therefore devised strategies to use the computer to break the barriers to individualized instruction.

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

But it cannot totally replace the teacher because he/she plays an important role in teaching and learning process in the classroom.

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)

 Is an interactive instructional technique whereby a computer is used to present the instructional material and monitor the learning that takes place. CAI uses a combination of text, graphics, sound and video in enhancing the learning process.

Available computer and CAI software, the teacher must :

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

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 a sort of tutor (the role traditional played by the teacher)
• provides a learning environment
• delivers learning instruction
• reinforces learning through drill-and-practice
• provides feedback

  CAI Integrated with Lesson

CAI works best in reinforcement learning through repetitive exercise such that students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject area.

Simulation Programs

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

This simulation software:

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

Instructional Games

While relation to low-level learning objectives (e.g. basic spelling or math skills), instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge.

Problem Solving Software

These are  more sophisticated than the drill and practice exercises and allow students to learn and improve on their problem solving ability.

Since problem cannot be solved simply by memorizing facts, the students have to employ higher thinking skills such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making.

Multimedia Encyclopedia and Electronic Books

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

Students can access any desired information, search its vast contents, and even download/print relevant portions of the data for their composition or presentation.

Electronic books 

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