Lesson 10: The Computer as a Tutor

Ganancial, Estela L. BSEd General Science 4

MW 3:00-5:00 PM

Educational Technology 2

Lesson 10: The Computer as a Tutor

Content 

The computer is one of the wonders of human ingenuity even in its original design in the 1950’s to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of the microcomputer (now also commonly referred to PC’s or personal computers), the PC has become the tool for programmed 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 of more learners. They therefore devised strategies to use the computer to break the barriers to individualized instruction. 

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 must be cleared out that computer should not totally replace the teacher’s role. With available of computer and CAI software, the teacher must: 

 -ensure that students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity 

 -decide the appropriate learning objectives 

 -plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives 

 -evaluate the students’ achievement by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes 

Roles of students in CAI as learners: 

-receive information 

-understand instructions for the computer activity 

-retain/keep in mind the information and rules for the computer activity 

-apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer learning 

Role of computer in CAI activity: 

· Acts as a sort of tutor 

· Provides a learning environment 

· Delivers learning through drill-and-practice 

· Provides feedback 

CAI Integrated with Lessons 

CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students. In effect, CAI works best in reinforcing learning through repetitive exercises such as students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subjects. In integrating computer programs in instruction, use tutorial software associated with cognitive learning. 

Simulation Programs 

Simulation software materials are another kind of software that are constructivist in nature. An example is of software is the SimCity in which students are allowed to artificially manage a city given an imaginary city environment. 

Instructional Games 

While relating to low-level objectives, instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge. One example is GeoSafari which introduces adventure activities for Geography History and Science. 

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. 

Multimedia Encyclopedia and Electronic Books 

The Multimedia Encyclopedia can store a huge database with texts, images, animation, audio and video. Example is Encarta. E-books also provide textual information for reading, supplemented by other types of multimedia information.

Experience

            During my elementary and high school years, I had few experienced such drill and practice of lessons using computer and I could still remember that was I think on my computer subject. During that time, my lessons from different subjects were not taught only by the aid of computer because computer that time was for computer subject only. My teachers heavily relied on a traditional manner wherein lessons were presented always through discussion and the sessions sometimes were very boring for me. There were lessons in Physics, Math and Chemistry which were very hard to understand and my teachers can’t just find ways to make it more comprehensive for us. During that time also, CAI was not yet introduced in our school because of some factors. The school had limited computers available to the students and some of them were actually not functioning. Aside from that, there were no software programs available that could offer drills and practices appropriate for particular lessons such as in Science, Math, and English Language.

Reflection

            As we all know, computer offers so much for students to be used in their learning process. It should be always bear in mind that computer must not replace the role of the teacher in the teaching-learning process. It will play a role of helping both the teachers and the students. This is most appropriate for lessons that require mastery in order to learn. CAI also caters the interest of students to technology while learning particular lesson. However, this CAI will matter its effectiveness to how extent the teachers facilitate this approach. In addition to that, CAI must also depend on the objectives of the lessons.

Application

            As a future teacher, I should be innovative and resourceful in terms of this approach because not all the times computer are available especially in rural areas. As a future teacher, I should be flexible enough whenever I face such situation. Hopefully, when I’ll be teaching someday I will use CAI if computers are available because some science concepts such as those in Physics and Chemistry are difficult to be understood.