A discussion of the problem of how it is possible for a verbal student to learn from a computer unless the machine can partially understand his language. (Author)

Studies which have utilized low-error-rate linear type programs have not been able to compare the effectiveness of various modes of feedback in correcting error in programed learning. In the present study using 75 university students, it was possible to correct errors without teaching erroneous material by using materials designed to teach 30…

Describes study of 122 undergraduate and graduate students that contrasted the effects of two error correction procedures on student achievement when using computer assisted instruction. Analyses of variance were used to determine whether question type or error response affected subsequent responses to factual and higher cognitive questions.…

Studies the effects of varying levels of interactivity on the learning rate of 98 high school students using four increasingly interactive versions of computer-based interactive video instruction. Students are grouped by ability levels and results are compared for recall rate, instructional time, and acquisition rate. Twenty-two references are…

Describes a study of 36 college juniors at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to contrast how well students learn new concepts from working with a partner versus working individually on a computer-based lesson. Highlights include types of feedback chosen and an analysis of verbal interactions. (Author/LRW)

This discussion of questions related to the most appropriate role for the computer in undergraduate postsecondary education begins by describing the Educational Testing Service's evaluations of two large-scale funded projects intended to stimulate the incorporation of computer assisted instruction (CAI) into undergraduate instruction--the…

Briefly reviews current research on the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and microcomputers. The Hawthorne Effect and research results for elementary, secondary, and college level students are discussed, courseware requirements are described, and research studies showing positive and negative effects of CAI are listed. (LRW)

This paper contains the results of a study on the importance of discovery learning using computer simulations. The purpose of the study was to identify what constitutes discovery learning and to assess the effects of instructional support measures. College students were observed working with an assignment and a computer simulation in the domain of…

The effects of behavioral objectives and/or criterion test items on the learning process were investigated. The 123 subjects were randomly assigned to either an example-only, an objective-example, a test-example, or an objective-test-example group. Objectives significantly increased the amount of time subjects spent studying the example displays.…

Describes a study of college students that investigated the interaction between instructional mode and testing mode. Computer learning and testing versus paper-and-pencil methods are compared, and treatments for the experimental and control groups are described. Areas for further research are suggested. (20 references) (LRW)

Describes a study of Australian undergraduates that investigated the nature of learning experiences and quality of learning achieved when students organized information into a HyperCard program. Differences between the learning strategies of using HyperCard and traditional class tutorial presentations are discussed, and student attitudes are…

In order to examine the influence of interactive media on children's story memory, first-grade children experienced a computer-based story in one of four presentation modes, two of which were interactive. In the interaction groups, there was no relation between the amount of interaction with the story and subsequent memory. (Author)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of behavioral and cognitive organizing strategies and varied processing intervals on factual and inferential learning. A total of 49 upper-division undergraduate and graduate students, who were randomly assigned to either a cognitive, behavioral, or individual orienting strategy group, received…

Describes a study of secondary school students in the Netherlands that compared the use of paper and pencil or computer spreadsheets to solve correlational problems in geography. Discusses results of videotape transcripts that compared teacher and student behaviors and considered mechanisms through which computers contribute to learning.…

Discussion of distance education versus traditional instruction focuses on courses being converted at the Naval War College to Web-based courses. Explains equivalency theory, which aligns the learning experiences of online learners with those of on-site learners so that either scenario should yield the same outcomes. (LRW)