Tuesday 11 January 2011

Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)

In computer Assisted Instruction, the lesson and its contents to be learnt are recorded in the software of the computer. The software in the form a C.D. or Cassette is inserted in the computer and when the student presses the keys in the keyboard, lessons appear in the monitor as small texts, each followed by a question. The student has to answer the questions by pressing the keys and the answers too appear in the monitor screen. If answer given by the student matches with the answer provided in the study material booted, it will be acknowledged and he is allowed to proceed further. If the given answer is incorrect, he is given alternate explanations or asked to study the same frame again before answering the question. In this way, the computer manages the response of the individual learner.
Merits of Computer Assisted Instruction:
1.    The learner can receive the content (study material) sequentially very fast and that too without any error.
2.    As the quality of learning material presented is rich, with animation and appropriate background sound, interest for learning is kindled.
3.    Since the learner himself operates his computer and learns, learning interest is sustained throughout the session.
4.    The computer successfully manages the different responses of the learner by directing him appropriately what to do further.
5.    The content of the lesson could be presented as text, diagrams or in animated forms.
6.    Based on the learner's achievement, the computer will decide the nature of his further learning.
7.    Computer can act according to the speed of the learner and his learning needs.
8.    The computer can help any number of students to learn for humpty number of times, without getting tired unlike a teacher. The same learning package can be repeatedly used for any number of times.
9.    The quality of the study materials could be upgraded in a short span of time.
10.           The cost and labour involved in providing computer assisted instruction, though appears to be high in the beginning, it works out to be cheaper when we take into account its repeated use and the present cost of educating a student through teacher – centered methods.
Demerits of Computer Assisted Instruction
As the teaching – learning process is controlled by machine, it will not help in the development of wholesome personality of students and achievement of objectives (in the affective and psychomotor domain) through competitions, peer-group relations and participation in co-curricular activities and skills development. CAI can develop cognitive objectives only. There is no scope in CAI for the development of virtues like kindness, sympathy, adjusting with others, helping others and derive joy in meticulous planning and execution.
Role of Computer in Instruction:
1.    Drill and Practice: To achieve mastery over the content learned, adequate drill and exercise could be provided by the computer.
2.    Tutorial: The student can interact with the computer through question – answer mode. He also gets immediate feed back about his response.
3.    Simulation: The student can learn effectively things with which he cannot have direct experience (e.g. Eruption of a Volcano, bursting of dams, germination of seeds etc.)
4.    Browsing: The computers are useful in collecting and storing data, so that they could be reviewed whenever necessary.
5.    Calculation: The computer can do numerical calculations, very fast and accurate too.
Differences between Computer Assisted Education and Computer Education
Educational computing or computers in education refers to using computer as a self-learning device and medium to progress at one's own rate. It is the use in teaching-learning process such as tutorial, drills, simulation, browsing, computation etc. Computer education, on the other hand refers to the academic discipline dealing with the imparting of knowledge in hardware, software programme preparation and applications, software languages etc. People trained in computer education, called computer professionals find jobs in software industries, Business Processing Centers, commercial establishments, scientific organizations etc.

No comments:

Post a Comment