The

Computer as
a Tutor

The computer is
one of the wonders
of human ingenuity.

With the invention of the

microcomputer (now also
commonly referred to as PCs or
personal computers), the PC has
become the tool for programmed
instruction.

Computer-assisted Instruction
(CAI)
The computer can be a tutor, in effect,
relieving the teacher of many activities in
his personal role as classroom teacher.
The computer cannot totally replace
the teacher since the teacher shall
continue to play the major roles of
information deliverer and learning
environment controller.

The teacher must:

Ensure that students have
the needed knowledge and
skills for any computer
activity.

The teacher must:

Decide the
appropriate learning
objectives

The teacher must:

Plan the sequential and
structured activities to
achieve the objectives

The teacher must:

Evaluate the students

achievement by ways that
tests specific expected
outcomes

Students in CAI play their own

roles as learners, as they:

Receive information

Students in CAI play their own

roles as learners, as they:

Understand
information for the
computer activity

Students in CAI play their own

roles as learners, as they:
Retain/keep in mind the
information and rules for the
computer activity

Students in CAI play their own

roles as learners, as they:
Apply the knowledge and
rules during the process of
computer learning

The computer plays its roles

as it:
Acts as a sort of tutor (the role
traditionally played by the
teachers)

The computer plays its roles

as it:

Provides a learning
environment

The computer plays its roles

as it:

Delivers learning
instruction

The computer plays its roles

as it:

Reinforces learning
through drill and
practice

The computer plays its roles

as it:

Provides
feedback

CAI integrated with Lessons

CAI computer learning should
not stop with the drill and
practice activities of students

CAI integrated with Lessons

CAI works best in reinforcing
learning through repetitive
exercises such that students can
practice basic skills or knowledge
in various subject areas

CAI integrated with Lessons

In these programs, the computer
presents a question/problem first and
the student is asked to answer the
question/problem. Immediate feedback
is given to the students answer

When and how can teachers

integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?
Use drill and practice programs for
basic skills and knowledge that
require rapid or automatic
response by students

When and how can teachers

integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?

Ensure that drill and practice

activities conform to the lesson
plan/curriculum

When and how can teachers

integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?

Limit drill and practice to 2030 minutes to avoid boredom

When and how can teachers

integrate drill and practice
programs with their lessons?

Use drill and practice to

assist students with
particular weakness in
basic skills

The tutorial software should

be able to:
Teach new content/information to
students
Provide comprehensive
information on concepts in
addition to practice exercises

The tutorial software should

be able to:
Can be effectively used for
remediation, reviewing or
enrichment

The tutorial software should

be able to:
Allow the teacher to introduce
follow-up questions to stimulate
students learning
Permits group activity for
cooperative learning

SIMULATION
PROGRAMS
These are another kind of
software that is
constructivist in nature.

These simulation software:

Teaches strategies and rules
applied to real-life
problems/situations
Asks students to make decision
on models or scenarios

These simulation software:

Allows students to manipulate
elements of a model and get
the experience of the effects of
their decisions

INSTRUCTIONAL GAMES
While relating to low-level learning
objectives, instructional computer
games add the elements of
competition and challenge.

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 employ
higher thinking skills such as logic,
recognition, reflection, and strategymaking.

MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
and ELECTRONIC BOOKS
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.

MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
and ELECTRONIC BOOKS
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

CONCLUSION
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.

CONCLUSION
Integrating computer exercises
is the new task of the teacher who
can find in the computer and
computer software an alternative
medium to the traditional classroom
practice of delivering information
and supporting learning activities.

CONCLUSION
In the years ahead, we shall the
computers in schools as a common tool
for the enhancement of the students
thinking, communication and
collaboration skills. Computer will become
an integral component of the future
classroom and not a mere machine that
can deliver routine drills and exercises.

END

Thank you for listening!

Reported by:
Enero
Durano
Donayre
Gecain
BSED 3

Assignments:
1. Do you believe CAI in some future time can
replace teachers in the classroom?
2. Since it is admitted that CAI relates to lower
learning skills (behaviorist and cognitivist
learning), what grade levels would CAI drill
and practice software materials be useful? Do
you think, those in college will still want drilland-practice learning activities that provide
plain memorization (behaviorism) and brain
processing like a mere computer
(cognitivism)?

3. What problem can be encountered if

a school (such as in poor countries)
cannot afford to provide enough
computers in students? Will CAI work
at all with a whole school using a
single computer?

4. What can the school neighborhood

community or non government
organizations do to put public
schools on a fast for the integration
of technology in public education.

6. Many software materials available in

developed countries are not yet
available in developing countries. Do
you think awareness of the existence
of these materials can still help
teachers in developing countries?

7. Students play games at home and

nearby school computer cafes. How
do these games differ from
instructional computer games.

Discuss the difficulties of using

software:
Number of school computer
available, need to evaluate these
software materials, need to find
ways to integrate them into
lessons/ curriculum. How futuristic
are computers as tutors in our
Philippine educational scenario?