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1.1 ! root 1: .\" @(#)p1 6.1 (Berkeley) 5/23/86 ! 2: .\" ! 3: .NH ! 4: Introduction. ! 5: .PP ! 6: .I Learn ! 7: is a driver for CAI scripts. It is intended to permit the easy composition ! 8: of lessons and lesson fragments to teach people computer skills. Since it ! 9: is teaching the same system on which it is implemented, it makes direct use of ! 10: .UX ! 11: facilities to create a controlled ! 12: .UX ! 13: environment. The system includes two main parts: (1) a driver that interprets ! 14: the lesson scripts; and (2) the lesson scripts themselves. At present there are ! 15: seven scripts: ! 16: .RS ! 17: .IP \(em ! 18: basic file handling commands ! 19: .IP \(em ! 20: the ! 21: .UX ! 22: text editors ! 23: .I ed ! 24: and ! 25: .I vi ! 26: .IP \(em ! 27: advanced file handling ! 28: .IP \(em ! 29: the ! 30: .I eqn ! 31: language for typing mathematics ! 32: .IP \(em ! 33: the ``ms'' macro package for document formatting ! 34: .IP \(em ! 35: the C programming language ! 36: .RE ! 37: .PP ! 38: The purported advantages of CAI scripts for training in computer skills include ! 39: the following: ! 40: .RS ! 41: .IP (a) ! 42: students are forced to perform the exercises that are in fact the basis of ! 43: training in any case; ! 44: .IP (b) ! 45: students receive immediate feedback and confirmation of progress; ! 46: .IP (c) ! 47: students may progress at their own rate; ! 48: .IP (d) ! 49: no schedule requirements are imposed; students may study at any time convenient ! 50: for them; ! 51: .IP (e) ! 52: the lessons may be improved individually and the improvements are immediately ! 53: available to new users; ! 54: .IP (f) ! 55: since the student has access to a computer for the CAI script there is a place ! 56: to do exercises; ! 57: .IP (g) ! 58: the use of high technology will improve student motivation and the interest of their ! 59: management. ! 60: .RE ! 61: .PP ! 62: Opposed to this, of course, is the absence of anyone to whom the student may ! 63: direct questions. If CAI is used without a ``counselor'' or other assistance, ! 64: it should properly be compared to a textbook, lecture series, or taped course, ! 65: rather than to a seminar. CAI has been used for many years in a variety of ! 66: educational areas. ! 67: .[ ! 68: bitzer plato 1970 ! 69: .] ! 70: .[ ! 71: gray coala 1977 ! 72: .] ! 73: .[ ! 74: suppes individualize 1967 ! 75: .] ! 76: The use of a computer to teach computer use itself, however, offers unique advantages. ! 77: The skills developed to get through the script are exactly those needed to use ! 78: the computer; there is no waste effort. ! 79: .PP ! 80: The scripts written so far are based on some familiar assumptions about education; ! 81: these assumptions are outlined in the next section. The remaining sections ! 82: describe the operation of the script driver and the particular scripts now available. ! 83: The driver puts few restrictions on the script writer, but the current scripts are ! 84: of a rather rigid and stereotyped form in accordance with the theory in the next ! 85: section and practical limitations.
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