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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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