TOPIC 8 - COMPUTER AIDED TEACHING AND LEARNING (CATL)

Computer Aided Teaching and Learning (CATL) is an important method in the teaching and learning process. CATL, if carried out with careful thought and planning, can produce an effective and high quality learning. Students will be able to learn actively and independently. CATL will usually covers specific course topics and delivers them in an  interactive way to the students. 

Computer Aided Teaching and Learning (CATL) teaching and learning conducted  using course software to be conducted through the Internet.  

CATL is also known as CATL is also known as 

(a) Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) in America;  

or (a) Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) in America;  

or (b) Computer Aided Learning (CAL) in United Kingdom. 

History of the Development of CATL CATL is based on the method of  programmed instruction  where teaching is carried out in stages. The students are first exposed to the concepts and facts, followed by related questions. Subsequently, new concepts and facts are taught before they are questioned on what they have been previously taught. This process continues till the end of the lesson.  

Programmed instruction initially used printed material. However, with the advancement of computer technology, it was replaced by the computer. Actually the use of CATL started systematically with the start of the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operation) project carried out by University of Illinois in  1960.   

Apart from PLATO, there are other famous projects like WICAT, CONDUIT, NDPCAL dan TICCIT. 

Advantages of CATL The Curriculum Development Centre in their effort to encourage the use of CATL course software in schools have listed a number of advantages of CATL in that it is able to:  

Do you feel that CATL is effective? LetÊs see what has been said by Alessi & Trollip (1991). According to them, CATL that is conducted well will increase the effectiveness of learning.  

For example, in a simulation software or game, students will learn actively by interacting with the software. Active learning will increase the level of thinking to a higher level, for example analysis, synthesis and evaluation.   

Apart from that CATL allows students: 

• Increase understanding and ability of students in their studies;

  • Increase motivation of students in learning;

 • Create a fun and challenging study environment;  

• Conduct difficult, expensive, impossible and dangerous experiments; and  

• Form cooperative learning and provide opportunities to students to learn effectively through minimum guidance and reduce interactive time.   

 Use a variety of media that can stimulate their senses; 

• Revise learning as much as possible;  

 • Control the running of the software course and select the sectins that is felt necessary; and  

• Give immediate response especially in CATL exercises or evaluation.   

 COMPUTER AIDED TEACHING AND LEARNING CONTENTS

 The objective of the lesson will determine the contents and activities of the CATL software course. Hence, the developer of the CATL course soft imware has 

plement the best teaching activities so that its objective is achieved.  

a course software.

The Gagne Teaching Model (1981) is often referred to in creating a course software and this involves nine levels of teaching.  The levels of teaching can also be used in the evaluation of 

To capture attention  are use The lesson must be started in an interesting manner to capture the attention and interest of students. Some of the course softw video or audio combines interesting animation or graphics

To inform the objective to the  students so that they are prepared to receive what is being taught. 

students 

The aim of the lesson must be clear to the To recall previous knowledge 

Students have to be encouraged to recall previous knowledge. Among the ways to do this is to ask students to answer a number of brief questions or by stating important information that is needed. 

To deliver information  screen must be Information must be delivered briefly and accurately. It has to be delivered in an interesting manner using suitable graphics, animation, audio and video. To help students understand the lesson, the amount of content or facts to be delivered on a limited so that the students can understand easily.  

To assist learning  (examplesummary) atau RULEG (summary-example) will be used.   Content and facts must be supported with suitable examples to help studentÊs understanding. Often the EGRUL method 

To give exercises 

Exercises given have to be in line with the content of the lesson taught. The exercises can be in the form of either questions from the course software or questions prepared by the teacher. The achievement or studentsÊs answers to the questions will show if they understood the contents of the lesson.  To give feedback One advantage of the use of the CATL course software is it can give immediate feedback to the student. Based on the studentsÊ achievement in the exercises, they will either be given reinforcement or remedial work. Reinforcement and remedial activities will be prepared for course software that is comprehensive. However, the teacher can also conduct activities in the class if the software does not provide activities or the activities are not suitable or insufficient.  

To evaluate achievement 

At the end of the lesson, the students are given a test to evaluate their understanding of what has been studied.  

To recall  

It is important that students recall what they have studied and  subsequently use that knowledge in various situations.The CATL course software also prepares additional activity to allow this.  

  TYPES OF COMPUTER AIDED TEACHING AND LEARNING     

In categorising the types of CATL, we need to see the functions and objectives of CATL and the methods of presentation used. In this section, we will discuss six types of CATL that is:  

Exercises 

Exercises is a type of CATL that is conducted to evaluate the studentsÊ understanding or  give reinforcement and this is done on their own. In these exercises, students are given a number of questions and the computer gives the response based on their answers.   

Tutorials  

Tutorials are also a kind of CATL that is used in presenting new teaching aids and these have structured explanations (Alessi & Trollip, 1991). CATL acts as a tutor that delivers lessons. Tutorials are well created to allow students to learn as their own pace and to record their learning activities.  

  

Games  Computer games are also CATL which are increasingly popular now. Games use the Âlearn and playÊ approach to attract the attention of students and to make learning fun. According to  MacFarlane and Sparrowhawk (2002), in conducting games in teaching, the teacher has to bear in mind that the objective of the games must be appropriate to the learning objective.   

Simulations 

Thomas & Milligan (2004) defined simulation as a situation or system modelled by a computer containing information about how the situation or system functions.

Demonstrations  

Demonstration is one of the CATL methods used to show students a procedure. This method is used to allow students to understand a process before performing it in the real situation. It is also suitable to understand a procedure that cannot or is not appropriate to carry out in class because there is a lack of equipment, is dangerous or is too complex

Tests

CATL is a test that allows the teacher to  measure and evaluate the students achievement quickly. Objective questions, fill-in-the-blanks, matching or true false questions can be used in CATL.  Subjective questions are rarely used. 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CATL COURSE SOFTWARE 

The development of the course software has to be done carefully and following the procedure so that it achieves the objective of the course and user. The developmental process that is often used is based on the ADDIE ( Analysis, Design, Development, Impl ementation and Evaluation ) (Alessi & Trollip, 1991) model. The ADDIE model has five main steps that are: 

Analysis Analysis is the first step that is important in the development of CATL course software. In this step, you need to identify clearly:  

 Design The design involves the creation of a detailed storyboard based on information collected in the first step. The storyboard decides the screen content, screen layout and connection between screens.   

The lesson content that is scrutinised will then form the contents of the screen. For example the texts, video, audio, graphics, animation and so on. Sorting of all these elements have to be done carefully for easy access and to avoid confusion. 

The connection between screens will form a series of screens. This series will determine the navigational manner of the student either in linear or in branches. In the course software that is branched, the learning section that is displayed to students depends on: 

• The aim of developing the course software 

• For whom is it developed 

 • Teaching objective

 • The lesson content needed to achieve the objective 

• StudentsÊ previous knowledge 

 • Lesson strategy 

• StudentsÊ choice

 • StudentsÊ response to questions 

• Students achievement in a test 

 Development Development involves the production of elements that are determined in the layout. For instance video, animation and others and the combination of these elements on the display screen. The developer needs to programme the integration and navigation so that the screens functions as a complete CATL. Technical documentation and user guideline will be designed at this stage. 

Evaluation is usually ongoing so that all weaknesses and mistakes are corrected before implementation. 

Implementation Among the activities carried out during the implementation stage are user trainings including teachers and students. Teachers need to be given guidelines so that the application of CATL can develop their confidence – especially those who are new to this kind of method – and they can use the course software in the best way possible. Students on the other hand, need to be given an explanation on the CATL method and its advantages. 

The teaching and learning material must be prepared and in working order, prior to being delivered to teachers and students. 

8.4.5  Evaluation There are two types of evaluation: the formative evaluation and the summative evaluation.    

The Formative Evaluation  is done at every ADDIE stage to ensure the course software developed conforms to the wishes and objective of the development.  

The Summative Evaluation is used to ensure the learning objective is achieved by students. This evaluation gives feedback to the effectiveness of the course software produced.   

Apart from the use of tests, the questionnaire method can be used to get opinions of students about various aspects of the course software for example navigation, its user friendliness and use of elements in delivering the course content..