What Is It All About?
Computer assisted learning is
the future, and that future is now. Education, as a process and discipline, is
mainly concerned with imparting knowledge, methods of teaching, and providing/maintaining
a conductive learning environment as opposed to informal education and other
means of socialization. Computer assisted learning (CAL), as the name implies,
is the use of electronic devices/computers to provide educational instruction and
to learn.
Computer assisted learning can be used in virtually all fields of
education, ranging from TV/DVD play-learn program for kindergarten kids to
teaching quadruple bypass surgery techniques in medicine. CAL is developed by
combining knowledge from all fields of education/learning, human computer
interaction (HCI) and cognition.
Today, classical education
methods are rapidly being replaced with virtual education, online school, and
distance learning systems. Boosted by improved visualization and data
transmission technologies, it is now quite easy to create computer software
programs that display and analyse graphic multidimensional data for human
interpretation. This has become an integral part of education and is frequently
used to develop and make attractive presentations in subjects that are
difficult for students to understand without proper illustration.
With due regard to this work,
we will simply define computer assisted learning as the tutoring, learning, and
interacting process facilitated through the use of computers. The main
edge/advantage that CAL has over education methods is interaction. Computers
can stimulate and arouse the active interest of students during the learning
process at multiple levels. For example, on one level, it facilitates the
interest of students in the learning material or the content being taught (for
example a DVD tutorial on how to handle spreading fire). On a higher level,
computers can facilitate live/active teaching interaction between the students
and the tutor or among the students themselves and moderated by the tutor. The
concept of human interaction with computers has been on since the introduction
of household electronic devices in the late 1980s. However, this only began to
happen in the last decade due to aggressive mobile technology revolution and
Internet that promotes inexpensive and reliable communication across the globe.
Computer assisted learning
(CAL) is also known as computer assisted instruction (CAI). By playing and
using materials stored on DVDs, mobile phones, and other web-based resources,
learning becomes more attractive and dynamic, and offers the students
entertaining avenues to showcase their listening and learning skills. It boosts
the students’ confidence in solving the tasks they are assigned and therefore
improves the quality of what they have learnt.
Ever since the CAL programs
were introduced as a modern teaching method, as opposed to the traditional
teacher-centered classroom system, a growing number of concerns have been
raised about the efficiencies of the CAL teaching method. Sometimes, teachers
do show anxiety about CAL because they fear the computers could take over their
jobs. Secondly, most of the technologies used in CAL are new and therefore
teachers need training to become familiar with the new technology. Teachers are
required to test run the system before the class begins and to anticipate and
fix technical glitches that might occur during the class. If the generation gap
is taken into consideration, the teachers who volunteer to use the CAL program
have to adjust their orientation and competence to what could seem a completely
new teaching system.
Computer Assisted Learning
Terminologies
Below are some of the terms
and acronyms used in the field of Computer assisted learning, though the terms
may vary according to domain or specificity.
|
Terminology
|
Meaning
|
|
CBT
|
Computer Based Training/Test
|
|
CAI
|
Computer Assisted
Instruction
|
|
CAL
|
Computer Assisted Learning
|
|
WBT
|
Web Based Training/Tutorial
|
|
CALL
|
Computer Assisted Language Learning
|
|
WBI
|
Web Based Instruction
|
The use of computer
information technology and networks is becoming indispensable in almost every
profession. Recent changes in education concepts as well as new business and
technical innovations are all computer-centered. As a result, educational
institutions have to modify their curriculum and teaching methods to be
computer-compliant.
The basic goal of CAL is to
stimulate and develop the assimilation/learning capacity of students, increase
the effectiveness and productivity teachers with the help of computer based
technology and update students’ knowledge to current trends as most of the
concepts outside the last decade are gradually getting out of date. Computer
technology should therefore be an integrated part of the education system.
Another objective of CAL is to develop easily understandable and attractive
tutorials and demonstrations of the field they are employed in.
Computer Assisted Learning
Assessment Tools
Multiple Choice Questions:
Mainly used for computer based tests, this type of exercise is used to assess a
student’s understanding of things they have been taught. It is used for CBTs.
Fill-in the Gap: Also used for
CBTs, the student is required to type text in gaps/spaces where some of the
words are missing. The student has to provide suitable words to solve the
exercise. The test can be easily done within a few minutes and can be created
with inexpensive software such as Hot Potato.
Find the Answers: In this
test, the student(s) are given questions and they have to looks for the answer
on their own in e-libraries or using the Internet. The answers may be submitted
to the teacher in various required submission formats.
Scrabble/Crossword Puzzles:
Crossword puzzles are mainly used in computer assisted language learning or at
the basic education level. They can be created from the vocabulary that
students have just been learning and the game can be played during leisure
hours.
Online Interactive Chat: Group
chats can be a good learning avenue for students and teachers to share ideas
online through text or speech. It is pretty easy to set up a group chat server
using a social media tool. However, it can sometimes be difficult to moderate
and it can become boring if there are only few users online in the chat room.
When run with tasks and suitable groups of students (age groups, interests,
etc.) chats can result into exciting communication, especially when post chat
task are issued in the end in the instructor.
Drills: Real life scenario
drills can be computer simulated to prepare the students for real on-field
challenges. Drills can be carried out using software programs specially
formulated for the purpose. Computer simulated drills can be expensive to
organize, particularly when special equipment are required and also require
high level of computer skill.
Web Quest: A Web Quest is an
exercise where the students are required to provide answers to questions on
issues mostly found on the web. Web Quest is meant to develop the student’s
skill on using/analyzing provided information rather than looking for it. In
this case, the teacher will provide the students with the needed internet links
to the exercise.
Adventure Games: These are
computer simulated role-plays where the student is presented with a situation
that he/she has to deal with and pass. The student has to be fast in analyzing the
game and inputting the result either as text, by manipulating the game’s
controls, or by clicking on certain options. At the end of the game, the
program gives feedback on the player’s performance.
Listening Exercises: For these
exercises, the computer replaces the tape recorder. The computer is connected
to a sound system. Students are required to listen attentively to an audio
recording being played from the computer. Podcasts, audio CD/DVD, audio
streams, etc., are often used. This exercise is used to promote listening
skills in students. It can be followed immediately with multiple choice
exercises if the students have grasped the content.
Visualization Tools for CAL
Visualization is an important
aspect of CAL. Seeing is believing; that is, students grasp what they are
taught better when the lecture is properly illustrated for them to see. 3D
objects can easily be created and refined using 2D plots. Traditional tools for
visual demonstration such as photographs, sketches, maps, and renderings are
now grossly inadequate for teaching a subject/course that requires attention to
detail. The new visualization tools include 3D computer models, video
demonstration, animations, colored computer maps, etc.
Today, visual CAL tools are
used in a wide range of disciplines to illustrate and demonstrate important
concepts, for presentation as well as for teaching purposes. The visualization
hardware should be portable, while the software should be able to run on most
computers with minimal configuration. The teaching technique should be flexible
for the students to visualize the demonstration comfortably. The students/user
should be able to adjust the viewing angle and to expand/retract certain parts
of the concept being viewed.
The most popular software tool
for developing visual programs is JAVA. With JAVA, one can easily write and
build software that can run on different platforms without much modification.
JAVA can be combined with HTML and VRML to create portable and interactive
web-based applications.
Conversion of Analog Materials
To Digital Materials
Below are some older recording
formats and the digital formats they can be converted to:
|
Classic Format
|
Digital Format
|
|
Cassette tape
|
CD,
MP3
|
|
VHS
|
CD, DVD
|
|
Paper books
|
e-books
|
|
Journals
|
Blog, website
|
|
Library
|
e-library
|
Correcting Electronic Exercises
When students submit an
assignment in electronic form, it would be lazy for the teacher just to print
it out on paper and comment/mark it with red ink. It would be better if the
teacher inserts red flagged comments into the submitted texts text using a word
processor or other dedicated programs to perform e-correction/commenting.
Advantages of CAL
CAL provides many advantages
to the education sector. These include
Self-Paced/ Self-Directed Learning: Since the students have greater control over the
CAL process, they can decide on their pace of learning. Students can study as
fast or as slowly as they like through a course. If they want to repeat some
task or review some material again, they can do so as many times as they
choose. They can also skip over a topic if they already know about it. This
saves time and makes teaching more efficient. Similarly, students can choose
what they want to learn and in what order, as students have different learning
styles and strategies.
This offers a solution to the
issue of slow and fast learners. With CAL, each student can study at his/her
own pace. The slow learners will not feel frustrated if they are unable to keep
up with the others since they can always review the lesson when it is opportune
to study. While managing their own learning pace, students become more
responsible and more aware of the implications of the learning style/strategy they
choose to adopt. Web-based adaptive educational systems (WAES), for example,
adapt to the student, and provide different levels of data, assessment, and
feedback for the student’s perusal.
Improved Computer Skill: By interacting often with computers, students who are not computer-literate
will be compelled to develop/improve their computer skills and it also gives
them a sense of collaboration when two or more students have to share a
computer. As their computer competence gets better, the students will be
encouraged to use computers more in doing their work.
Visualization: Naturally, a student becomes more alert when a computer-based learning/test
is going on. There is a sense of anticipation that makes the student more
attentive when learning the lesson. Students are better motivated visually by
multimedia materials and listening is supported by seeing. This boosts
students’ natural way of learning.
Learning Efficiency: With CAL, students are better able to pick up concepts or skills faster and
with less effort and also retain what they have learned longer. Consequently
they would require less teacher time.
Sensory Stimulation: Humans are multi-sensory beings as we can receive and process information.
According to Fletcher (1990), people remember 20% of what they hear, 40% of
what they have seen and heard and 75% of what they see, hear and do. Since the
computer can stimulate the various human senses and present data in a different
media can spice up the learning process. Computers encourage learning as they
promote enthusiasm and provide stimulating environment.
Communication Development: Chats and videoconference help in the development
of writing, speaking, and communication skills. They provide speaking practice
through debates and opinion chats. Sometimes, this does not involve the
teacher’s formal assessment.
Content/Lesson-Centered: Unlike a traditional class that is teacher-centered, the computer-based
class shifts the student’s attention from the teacher to the lesson/content
being taught. The student benefits from a lesson-centered teaching approach.
Students give direct attention to the computer(s) in front of them, which makes
them feel more comfortable with their lesson.
Enthusiasm: Generally speaking, the use of computer technology in education makes the
class more appealing and interesting. It maintains students’ attention and
stimulates their motivation to actively participate in the class.
Impediments of CAL
The first time computers are
introduced into the teaching process, the students may not be familiar with
what is going to be presented before them and this may result in general
anxiety. If the students (particularly older students) are not
computer-literate, computer anxiety is another issue the teacher will have to
deal with. In this environment, it would take considerable time before students
become comfortably adapted to CAL.
With a computer-based
self-assessment class where students have to be left on their own, they may
become overwhelmed by the amount of data they are handling. As a result of
this, excessive use of multimedia relays should be avoided at the first
introduction of CAL and the teacher has to place more emphasis on the content
being taught because often the students’ attention is focused on the computer.
There is also an undesirable
state when the students become so excited with what they are seeing on the
computer that they hardly pay attention to what is being taught. They may get
fascinated by the multimedia images to the point that, at the end of the class,
they wouldn’t have grasped the core concepts of the lesson or just
half-heartedly do their follow the lecture as their mind is “far away.” The
younger the students, the more likely this will happen.
Agreed that providing
attractive presentations is an integral part of CAL, the most important
objective of the lecture is that the students learn and understand what is
being taught; otherwise, the introduction of computers into the learning
process will not be effective. The teacher should try to maintain equilibrium
in student-computer interaction. The teacher should regularly check the
students to make sure they are learning by asking questions on what is being
taught. Though the computer may stimulate students’ interest and make them
understand a course better, it is the teachers’ duty to ensure that students
learn and can expressively demonstrate what they have learnt confidently.
Conclusion
The impediments associated
with computer assisted learning are not related to the computer programs, but
how to teach with them. The snag with CAL is chiefly the low-level pedagogic
(methods and activities of teaching) strategies of teaching/learning with ICT
systems. A thorough pedagogical review should be initiated to provide
guidelines on the use of computer technology in classes.
To overcome computer anxiety,
the use of computers should be encouraged among students and teachers and
practical computer skill classes should be infused in the educational
curriculum. Depending on the resources available, post-nursery/primary computer
should be made mandatory in order to speed up the level of computer literacy
among all students.
References
*Ioana Iacob: The Effectiveness of Computer Assisted Classes
for English as a Second Language; “Tibiscus” University of
Timişoara, România. Annals. Computer Science Series. 7th Tome 1st Fasc. – 2009.
*Leonardo Da Vinci Language Competences: Introduction To Computer
Assisted Language Learning; www.languages.dk
*Ramazan Basturk: The Effectiveness of
Computer-Assisted Instruction in Teaching Introductory Statistics; Educational Technology & Society, 8 (2), 170-178.
2005
*Sıtkı Külür: New Possibilities For The Photogrammetry
Education In Turkey; Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering
Faculty, Commission VI, Working Group VI/2
