Seven hundred university students in a chemistry laboratory course received computer based instruction (CBI) in one of two forms, "interactive" or "passive." Laboratory performance was significantly better for students who used the "interactive" form. (Author/MER)

This study investigated the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of drills as used in computer assisted instruction (CAI) lessons in phonetic transcription. Subjects (N=44) were students in a course in general phonetics at the University of Illinois. Measurements of student learning, student attitude, and time required for completion…

A study was conducted in the School of Medical Technology at the University of Illinois to determine the relative learning effectiveness of lessons taught by means of computer assisted instruction (in this case, PLATO) versus lessons taught by means of paper copies adapted from the PLATO system. While the benefits of translating paper…

Describes the development of an online physical anthropology course at Palomar College (California) that evolved from online tutorials. Discusses the ability to update materials on the Web more quickly than in traditional textbooks; creating Web pages that are readable by most Web browsers; test security issues; and clarifying ownership of online…

The effects of three types of feedback in a computer-assisted instructional lesson--knowledge of the correctness of response (KOR), knowledge of the correct answer (KCR), and explanatory feedback in combination with or without a second try on error correction--were investigated, using a 2 by 3 factorial design. The results indicated that…

The superiority of the evolving computer-based approach to learning has not been supported by systematic comparisons with other methods. The effectiveness and acceptability of computer-presented and print-presented materials, containing identical concepts and methods for improving study skills and academic attitudes, were compared in a sample of…

To alleviate the staffing pressures of increased demands for tours and classes at the Duane G. Meyer Library, Southwest Missouri State University, two HyperCard programs were developed--a library instruction text and a library orientation tour. A study of the relative effectiveness of the HyperCard text with paper texts for bibliographic…

The effects on reading speed and comprehension of window proportions and page turning in electronic text were investigated in this study. Subjects--61 undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin--Whitewater--were administered a standardized reading text displayed as photocopied dot matrix print in simulation of electronic text. There…

Preliminary results compared computer assisted methods versus traditional mathematics processes to determine the nutrient content of foods for a dietary evaluation study. Objectives were to compare the two methods with regard to (1) computation time spent by students and staff, (2) accuracy, and (3) cost. The need for more sophisticated methods…

Describes background, software development, and the Write-Well computer assisted instruction series used in a study at Illinois Institute of Technology. Composition students were divided into two groups, with one practicing comma usage with computer assisted instruction and another using textbooks. Results indicate computer assisted instruction…

This study examined the relationship between the timing of feedback in programmed instruction and the cognitive levels of the tasks involved. The subjects were 195 college students from the Principles of Accounting I course at the University of Texas at Austin. Three test groups--an immediate feedback treatment group, an end-of-session feedback…

Describes a study of students at Buffalo State College that was conducted to compare achievement results between a class taught with computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and one taught without CAI. Computer attitudes are examined, sex differences are discussed, and pretest and posttest scores are analyzed. (17 references) (LRW)

The combined effects of orienting activities and levels of practice on learning from interactive video were examined in this study. The 72 college students who participated in the study were randomly assigned to either a group that received an orienting activity (i.e., a brief statement designed to prepare learners for the information to come) or…

This study examined how first-year law students developed a civil rights case using an open-ended interactive videodisk ("Litigation Strategies"), which uses a visual and textual database to complement the traditional curriculum by simulating the experience of a junior partner in a law firm. An implementation and formative evaluation…

Two variables that designers should consider when developing computer-based instruction (CBI) text screens are text density, which manipulates the context of the information presented, and screen density, which is a measurement of the amount of information presented at one time on the screen. A study on text density was designed to identify…