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…

Model building techniques from Artifical Intelligence and Information-Processing Psychology are applied to human-computer interface tasks to evaluate existing interfaces and suggest new and better ones. The model is in the form of an augmented transition network (ATN) grammar which is built by applying grammar induction heuristics on a sequential…

THE EFFECT OF ADAPTIVE VERSUS NONADAPTIVE TRAINING UPON PEROFRMANCE IN A VISUAL TARGET DETECTION TASK WAS INVESTIGATED. ADAPTIVE TRAINING WAS NOT FOUND TO BE SUPERIOR TO NONADAPTIVE TRAINING. BUT INCREASING TASK DIFFICULTY IN AN ARBITRARY STEPWISE FASHION WAS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MAINTAINING A CONSTANT LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY. THIS DOCUMENT, AD 634…

Effective instructional organization and sequences cannot be generated without analyzing and interpreting diagnostic information. Currently the teacher is required to provide the analysis and interpretation as well as the instruction. Class loads and time limitations preclude anything other than the cursory examination of data. In order to…

A study designed to answer the need for more attractive and effective economics education involved the teaching of one junior college economics class by the conventional (lecture) method and an experimental class by computer simulation techniques. Econometric models approximating the "real world" were computer programed to enable the experimental…

The concept of "explanation" is the focus of this study and of the working computer programs contained in it. The advent of the computer makes it possible to bring to bear on the art of explanation a vast information handling power. In the first sections, a definition of explanation, its differentiation from related subjects, and the more than 50…

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) studies with the mentally retarded in the United States and Canada reveal that the retarded benefit from CAI in academic and social skills. Their learning is enhanced to the same extent as that of the nonretarded. CAI can be cost-effective, especially with the reduced costs of mini and micro-computers; however,…

This paper gives an account of a pedagogical project using the computer in teaching an electrical engineering subject. The aim was to combine the computer with other activities, as one element in an active educational process. This has led to a small group instructional approach where the computer is used in various ways in courses on different…

NLS-SCHOLAR is a prototype system that uses artificial intelligence techniques to teach computer-naive people how to use a powerful and complex editor. This new kind of computer assisted instruction system integrates systematic teaching with actual practice, keeping the user under tutorial supervision while allowing him to try out what he learns…

This paper presents Project C-BE suggestions for those investigating the possibilities of using computers as an instructional resource. Topics are suggested to stimulate thought with regard to both the problems and the potential of computer-based education. (Author/CH)

The HYPERTUTOR incorporates the ideas of a "hypertext" and the TUTOR-IV programing language used on the PLATO-IV system. The HYPERTUTOR is a part of Northwestern University's MULTI-TUTOR system and runs on a non-PLATO, non-dedicated CDC 6400 computer. It allows the transfer of courseware from PLATO to non-PLATO systems. It has…

Engineering design is a complex cognitive skill differing from possession of knowledge in tactical use of knowledge to achieve goals under constraints. An operational definition of a design must satisfy a set of constraints and objectives. Several published theories about the design process in terms of the criteria developed leads to the…

As a manual for computer-assisted instruction lesson reviewers and as a resource for other interested PLATO personnel, this text describes the function of the lesson reviewer. The role of the lesson reviewer is discussed as an impartial examiner of the computer programing, the subject content, and the instructional design that constitute a…

Though recent decades have witnessed radical changes in the nature of the society, technology offers a way for schools to continue providing quality educational services. The combination of rapidly changing constituencies, an emphasis on cost-effectiveness, and the trend toward individualized learning presents educational needs that can be filled…

At Gallaudet College, additional computer hardware has been required to meet the computer needs of administration, faculty, and students. Used in such disciplines as English, mathematics, chemistry, and foreign language; computer assisted instruction has proven particularly helpful in teaching the deaf. (EMH)