The Computer
as a Tutor
With the invention of the
microcomputer (now also
commonly referred to as PCs or
personal computers), the PC has
become the tool for programmed
instruction.
Computer-assisted Instruction
(CAI)
• The computer can be a tutor, in effect,
relieving the teacher of many activities
in his personal role as classroom
teacher.
• The computer cannot totally replace
the teacher since the teacher shall
continue to play the major roles of
information deliverer and learning
environment controller.
The teacher must:
Ensure that students have
the needed knowledge and
skills for any computer
activity.
The teacher must:
Decide the
appropriate learning
objectives
The teacher must:
Plan the sequential and
structured activities to
achieve the objectives
The teacher must:
Evaluate the students’
achievements by ways that
tests specific expected
outcomes
Students in CAI play their own
roles as learners, as they:
Receive information
Students in CAI play their own
roles as learners, as they:
Understand information
for the computer activity
Students in CAI play their own
roles as learners, as they:
Retain/keep in mind the information
and rules for the computer activity
Students in CAI play their own
roles as learners, as they:
Apply the knowledge and rules
during the process of computer
learning
The computer plays its
roles as it:
Acts as a one kind of tutor
The computer plays its
roles as it:
Provides a learning
environment
The computer plays its
roles as it:
Delivers learning
instruction
The computer plays its
roles as it:
Reinforces learning
through drill and practice
The computer plays its
roles as it:
Provides feedback
CAI integrated with Lessons
•CAI computer learning should
not stop with the drill and
practice activities of students
CAI integrated with Lessons
•CAI works best in reinforcing
learning through repetitive
exercises such that students can
practice basic skills or knowledge
in various subject areas
CAI integrated with Lessons
•In these programs, the computer
presents a question/problem first and
the student is asked to answer the
question/problem. Immediate feedback
is given to the student’s answer
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
When and how can teachers
integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?
• Ensure that drill and practice
activities conform to the lesson
plan/curriculum
When and how can teachers
integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?
•Limit drill and practice to 2030 minutes to avoid boredom
When and how can teachers
integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?
• Use drill and practice to assist
students with particular
weakness in basic skills
The tutorial software should
be able to:
• Teach new content/information to
students
• Provide comprehensive
information on concepts in
addition to practice exercises
The tutorial software should
be able to:
• Can be effectively used for
remediation, reviewing or
enrichment
The tutorial software should
be able to:
•Allow the teacher to introduce
follow-up questions to stimulate
students’ learning
•Permits group activity for
cooperative learning
SIMULATION
PROGRAMS
• These are another kind of
software that is
constructivist in nature.
These simulation software:
• Teaches strategies and rules
applied to real-life
problems/situations
• Asks students to make decision
on models or scenarios
These simulation software:
• 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, 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
problems 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
• 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.
MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
and ELECTRONIC BOOKS
• 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 word skills
CONCLUSION
The computer is a tutor in this
new age of learning. It does not
replace the teacher , although it
assumes certain roles previously
assigned to teachers who now has
to take the new role of facilitator
and guide.
CONCLUSION
Integrating computer exercises
is the new task of the teacher who
can find in the computer and
computer software an alternative
medium to the traditional classroom
practice of delivering information
and supporting learning activities.
CONCLUSION
In the years ahead, we shall the
computers in schools as a common
tool for the enhancement of the
student’s thinking, communication and
collaboration skills. Computer will
become an integral component of the
future classroom and not a mere
machine that can deliver routine drills
and exercises.
END