MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS
UNIT 2 Mode of Computer Lesson Presentation
MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS instruction.
Educators saw much use of the PC. It has become affordable to small business, industries and homes. They saw its potential for individualization in learning, especially as individualized learning is a problem since teachers usually with a class of forty or more learners. They therefore decided strategies to use computer to break the barriers to individualized instruction.
It should be made clear , however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play the major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller.
Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)
The computer can be a tutor, in effect relieving the teacher of many activities in his/her personal role as classroom tutor. It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play the major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller. Even with the valuable computer and CAI software, the teacher must:
ensure that students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity.
decide the appropriate learning activity
plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives.
evaluate the student‘s achievement by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.
On the other hand, the students in CAI play their own roles as learners as they:
receive information
understand instructions for the city mother activity.
retain/keep in mind that information and rules for the computer activity.
apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer lading.
MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS
During the computer activity proper in CAI, the computer, too, plays its role as it:
acts as a sort of tutor (the role traditional played by the teacher)
provides a learning environment.
delivers learning instruction.
reinforces the learning through drill-and- practice.
provides feedback.
Today, educators accept the fact that the computer has indeed succeeded in providing an individualized learning environment so difficult for a teacher handling whole class. This is so, since the computer is able to allow individual students to learn at their own pace, motivate learning through a challenging virtual learning environment, assist students through information needed during the learning process, evaluate student responses through immediate feedback during the learning process, and also give the total score to evaluate the student‘s total performance.
CAI Integrated with Lessons
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.
CAI should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students. In effect, CAI works best in reinforcing learning through repetitive exercises such that students can practice skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common types of drill and practice programs include vocabulary building, math facts, basic science, and history or geography facts. In these programs, the computer presents a question problem first and the student is asked to answer the question/problem immediately.
Immediate feedback is given to the student‘s answer. After a number of practice problems and at the end of the exercise, the students get a summary of his overall performance.
The question arises: when and how should teachers integrate drill and practice programs with their
Use drill and practice programs for basic skills and knowledge that require rapid or
MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS
automatic response by students (e.g. multiplication table, letter and word recognition, identification of geometric shapes, etc.).
Ensure that drill and practice activities conform to the lesson plan/curriculum.
Limit drill and practice to 20-30 minutes to avoid boredom.
Use drill and practice to assist students with particular weakness in basic skills.
In integrating computer programs in instruction, use tutorial software associated with cognitive learning. While practice exercise or learning is still the heart of each tutorial, the tutorial software should:
be able to teach new content/new information to students (in as much as CAI provides on old or already learned content)
provide comprehensive information on concepts in addition to practice exercises.
can effectively be used for remediation, reviewing, or enrichment.
allow the teacher to introduce follow-up questions to stimulate student‘s learning.
Permit group activity for cooperative learning.
Simulation Programs
Simulation software are constructivist in nature. These simulation software:
teach strategies and rules that apply to real-life problems/situations.
ask students to make decision on models or scenarios.
allow students to manipulate elements of a model and get the experience of the effects of their decisions.
An example of such software is SimCity in which students are allowed to artificially manage a city given an imaginary city environment. Decision-making involves such factors as budget, crime, education, transportation, energy resources, waste disposal, and business/industries available. (Note:
software may or may not be available in local computer shops. Still concept learning is helpful).
MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS
Instructional Games
While relating to low-level objectives (e.g. basic spelling or math skills), instructional games add the elements of competition and challenge.
An example is GeoSafari which introduces adventure activities for Geography History and Science.
The program can be played up to four players to form teams. Learning ounces can be achieved along simple memorization of information, keyboarding skills cooperation and social interaction.
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 empty higher thinking skill such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making. The Thinking Things 1 is an example of a problem solving software in which the team learners must help each other by observing, comparing.
Multimedia Encyclopedia and Electronic Books
The 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. An eyewitness Children‘s Encyclopedia.
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. Examples are Just Grandma and Me animated books, storybook which offer surprises for the young learner‘s curiosity.
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.
Computer activities are not also the end-all of learning since they have to confirm to the lessons/curriculum. Integrating computer exercises is the new task of the teacher who can find in
MODULE
EDU258 - COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION METHODS
the computer and computer software an alternative medium to the traditional classroom practice of delivering information and supporting learning activities.