This research investigated how the characteristics of two Computer Assisted Langauge Learning (CALL) programs assisted Taiwanese students learning English pronunciation, how the different types of feedback in the program helped them to learn English pronunciation effectively, and how teachers may effectively integrate such computer software into their teaching. The purpose of the study was to define directions for pedagogy and research in CALL in Taiwan, drawing on the perceptions of Taiwanese college students and their teacher in regard to the effectiveness of the selected programs and their feedback functions. This research sought to explore ways to develop and improve English pronunciation learning in Taiwan by using another tool in addition to teacher-directed learning. It is anticipated that the research will provide Taiwanese language teachers with information about how to supplement their teacher directed language teaching, and about what learning tools are effective for this. In all, one teacher/researcher and 153 college students across four classes took part in this research project, and the setting was in an Institute of Technology in Taiwan. The students all used the two computer software programs separately in a computer laboratory for several weeks, and their perspectives about the effectiveness of the programs and the feedback they gave were gathered. The research methodology was action research, and it used an open-ended questionnaire and participant observation for collecting data, as well as content analysis for the interpretation of the data. In addition, the students wrote learning sheets which aimed to focus their learning. The results showed that the students preferred the program with explicit correction feedback, and with repetition and other specific functions, as well as the facility for selfpaced and self-directed learning. The key finding of the study was that in Taiwan, when used alongside the traditional classroom teaching, CALL is a tool which has the potential to address some of the issues English pronunciation teachers face, such as low student motivation and low English pronunciation proficiency. A number of recommendations are made for the effective use of CALL. Students gave several detailed suggestions in regard to the computer software functions which could help them to learn more effectively, and the teacher also addressed some issues which need to be considered when using CALL computer software to assist students’ learning.

Since the innovation of computers some 40 years ago and the introduction of microcomputers in 1975, computers are playing an active role in education processes and altering the pattern of interaction between teacher and student in the classroom. Computer assisted learning has been seen as a revolution in education. In this research, the author has studied the impact of using microcomputers on mathematical education, particularly at the Hong Kong tertiary level, in different perspectives. Two computer software packages have been developed on the microcomputer. The consideration of the topic to be used in the computer assisted learning was arrived at in earlier surveys with students who thought that computers could give very accurate solutions to calculations. The two software packages, demonstrating on the spot the error that would be incurred by the computer, have been used by the students. They are both interactive and make use of the advantages of the microcomputer's functions over other teaching media, such as graphics facility and random number generator, to draw to the students' attention awareness of errors that may be obtained using computers in numerical solutions. Much emphasis is put on the significance and effectiveness of using computer packages in learning and teaching. Measurements are based on questionnaires, conversations with students, and tests on content material after the packages have been used. Feedback and subjective opinion of using computers in mathematical education have also been obtained from both students and other teachers. The research then attempts to examine the suitability of applying computer assisted learning in Hong Kong education sectors. Some studies on the comments made by students who participated in the learning process are undertaken. The successes and failures in terms of student accomplishment and interest in the subject area as a result of using a software package is described. Suggestions and recommendations are given in the concluding chapter.

The problem of this investigation was concerned with the effects that a computer-assisted and managed learning program had on the test outcomes of college students enrolled in a basic communication course. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of participation in a computer-assisted and managed learning on the test outcomes of college students enrolled in a basic communication course. In order to facilitate the experiment, four hypotheses were formulated: 1. There will be significant differences in the posttest scores among the three groups. More specifically (a) the computer-assisted and managed learning (CAML) group will have significantly higher posttest scores than the teacher-assisted learning (TAL) group and the control group. 2. Computer apprehension will be significantly lower for students assigned to the CAML program, than students assigned to the TAL or control groups. 3. Computer complexity will be significantly lower for students assigned to the CAML group, than the students assigned to the TAL or control groups. 4. Computer utility will be significantly higher for students assigned to the CAML group, than students assigned to the TAL or control groups. Two experimental and one control group was used in the study. The experimental groups consisted of CAML (computer-assisted and managed learning) and TAL (teacher assisted learning). The control group was not treated with assisted instruction or practice testing. There were significant differences found among the posttest scores of the three groups. Students assigned to the CAML and TAL groups did have significantly higher posttest scores than students assigned to the control group. Although there were observable differences in the posttest scores between CAML and TAL, the differences were not statistically significant. Computer apprehension was significantly lower for the CAML group than the TAL or Control groups. Computer complexity was significantly lower for CAML than the TAL or Control groups. Computer utility scores were higher in CAML than the TAL or Control groups. The data supported the hypotheses. Several recommendations were made. A computer assisted and managed learning program should be used as a supplemental instructional, review and testing method in communication. Further research should be conducted in order to design a computer final exam for the basic communication course for purposes of review and CLEP testing. In addition, more terminals need to be employed for maximum efficiency.

The focus of this study was to determine the unique contribution of I.Q., gender, instructional organization, time on the computer, classroom instructional time, ethnicity and total instructional time to the predictability of achievement gain in a computer-assisted instructional setting in reading. The sample consisted of 2,000 students in grades three and five from a large suburban school district in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. The students were given the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to determine reading achievement gains and the Cognitive Abilities Test to determine I.Q. levels. The study was conducted over a five month period during the 1984 - 1985 school year. Using multiple regression, the data were analyzed.

Because computer use become more and more important in the educational environment, the attitudes of students toward computer may play an important role in their learning success. This study investigated the attitudes toward computers and gender differences of sixth-grade Kuwaiti students and examined the relationships between students’ attitudes toward computers and school, motivation/persistence, study habits, empathy, creative tendencies, and achievement in the Informatics field. The Computer Attitude Questionnaire (CAQ), translated from the English into Arabic Language for this study, was originally developed by Knezek and Miyashita for the Texas Center for Educational Technology (University of North Texas). The CAQ was administered to a random cluster sample of 10 public middle schools: (5 boys’ and 5 girls’ schools), with a total of 562 students, (265 boys and 297 girls), in the State of Kuwait during the academic year 1999-2000. The pilot test was conducted to calculate the reliability with Cronbach’s alpha = .87 for the CAQ Arabic version. This study found positive attitudes toward computer use (mean = 3.31 on 4-point Likert-scale); however, girls had significantly more positive attitudes toward computers (mean = 3.36) than did boys (mean = 3.26). It also found statistically significant correlations between attitudes toward computers and school (r. = .149), motivation/persistence (r. = .459), study habits (r. = .371), empathy (r. = .308), creative tendencies (r. = .530), and achievement in the Informatics field (r. = .201). A statistically significant gender difference was found in the correlations between attitudes toward computers and empathy. Girls had a stronger correlation (r. = .405) than boys (r. = .215). This study also found that students who use computers at home (mean = 3.40) have more positive attitudes toward computers than did students who do not (mean = 3.22). The main conclusion of the current study is that students like to use computers, therefore, the researcher suggests that computer should be introduced for the students in the classrooms environment and to be integrated into the curriculum of all subject areas.

In a shrinking more connected world, web based communication technologies play an increasingly important role in educating younger generations. However, the process of change that teachers must go through to accommodate the appropriate use of web based communication technologies for teaching and learning is a complex process, which can be viewed from multiple perspectives. Specifically, this study explores pedagogic shift in the context of a virtual international school spanning five different countries within the European Union. It adopts an interpretive paradigm of research to explore perceptions of teachers in the virtual international school over the course of four years from 2009-2013. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, a variety of data collection techniques were employed over the course of three different cycles of research. Each cycle built on the previous cycle through an in depth analysis of the data, which enabled the emergence of a model for pedagogic shift. Findings from this research point to the importance of understanding change as a learning journey, which necessarily takes time and is influenced by a variety of factors in which effective leadership plays a central role. Additionally, the research shows how through processes such as understanding each others’ different perspectives and the way technologies are harnessed, change is facilitated and a sense of community is built, all play an important role in enabling pedagogic shift to take place. From these findings a thematic model emerged, which was explored in depth and further refined during the research. The study concludes with recommendations for further research into pedagogic shift, particularly in relation to the dispersed multi-level model of leadership, the evolution of virtual international schools, the changing nature of teacher-student relationships, and the influence of external drivers in models of pedagogic shift.

No description available.

The primary aim of this study was to validate interactive computer-assisted learning packages (ICALP) in a self operated computer controlled educational resource (SOCCER) to undergraduate (UG) physiotherapy students of anatomy. The development of ICALP, Test and FeedBack items for SOCCER are described, as well as the mechanism of delivery with continuous positive reinforcement to randomly selected students. To meet this requirement, a computer managed learning environment (CMLE) was established to affirm the value of ICALP and SOCCER materials to replace traditional lectures in anatomy. Quantitative data is given to verify this hypothesis during the education of UG physiotherapy students of anatomy. Throughout 1992, the UG population was randomly divided into Lecture and ICALP groups, with mutual exclusion of each to the other, for ten areas of study. These results were validated by re-application to the succeeding UG population in 1993. The secondary aim of this study was in two-parts. Firstly, to verify that ICALP materials can be applied to transfer 2-D cognitive anatomical information in a self-paced format of autonomous learning. Secondly, to investigate a premise that previously acquired 2-D anatomical information may be transferred into a 3-D psycho-motor skill. Ample data is given to verify the first hypothesis, with sufficient evidence to support the second. The subsidiary aim of this study compared the educational and administrative cost-effectiveness of ICALP and SOCCER with traditional lectures used in anatomy. Evidence is given to demonstrate that the time saved in lectures can be replaced by a lecture-seminar approach to problem-based learning to empower UG2 students to achieve at a level beyond that which would normally be expected. Sufficient data is provided to affirm the cost-benefits of ICALP and SOCCER to academic staff, individual students, and ++ / administrators. The untested belief held by schools of anatomy that high ranking pre-entrants in English, English Literature, and Human Biology, are more likely to transpose 2-D anatomical information into a 3-D skill than high ranking pre-entrants in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics was also investigated. Scrutiny of these data could not determine any discriminatory differences of ability to succeed in UG anatomy by either of these two categories.

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based outreach programme that addresses one aspect of a national strategic recommendation in South Africa. This outreach programme, which started in 1982, was in its twentieth year of existence in 2001 and provided support in mathematics and physical science to Grade 12 students and teachers from historically disadvantaged schools. This study examined the role that the outreach programmes played at two schools during 2001 and endeavoured to provide an analysis of the intended, implemented, perceived and achieved programmes for this year. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of this outreach programme in providing support to both teachers and students in the teaching and learning of mathematics and physical science. The goals and objectives of the outreach programme (the intended programme) were identified from documentation of the Outreach Project and interviews with Outreach Project managers. In addressing the implementation of the outreach programme (the implemented programme), lessons at each of the two, Mini-Computer Supported Education Centres (MICSECs) were observed over a period of four months. At one centre (Centre A), the lessons consisted of a formal (talk-and-chalk) presentation followed by an informal part when students worked on the computer in the same period. At the second centre (Centre B), the MICSEC was used as an adjunct to the normal classroom lesson, that is, students were taught in their normal classrooms and then, at least once a week, taken by their teacher to the MICSEC to do problem-solving on the computers. The perceptions of students (the perceived programme) were examined by an actual and preferred version of the Computer-Assisted Learning Environment Questionnaire and by interviews conducted with both individual students and groups. / At Centre A, the students preferred more involvement, more open-endedness, more organisation and more learning assessment opportunities in their computer-assisted classes but also less integration of computers in their every day classes whilst desiring investigation procedures in their classes to remain the same. At Centre B, students preferred to be more involved, to have more open-ended activities in their classes, have more learning assessment opportunities and a greater level of integration of computers but a reduction in investigative activities. Findings from student interviews were summarised as reflecting three viewpoints with regard to the inclusion of computer-assistance in classes. Students holding one viewpoint considered the inclusion of computer-assisted learning as important to their learning and were convinced that their interaction with the computer, fellow-students and teacher, led to an improvement in their learning. Students holding the second viewpoint conveyed a message of insecurity in the use of computers for they were not sure whether their working with computers made any difference to their learning. Many students' views were somewhere between the first and the second viewpoints which left the impression that these students were not convinced that using the computers would guarantee them success in the final examination. The third viewpoint was strongly articulated by a group of three students at Centre A and to a lesser degree at Centre B (one student), who considered that the new computer-assisted classes played no role in their learning and that teacher-centred classes would produce better results. The extent to which the outreach programme met its objectives (the achieved programme) included improved student performance on the matriculation examinations. / Teachers and students were generally positive of the support that they received but indicated that more computer terminals were required to address students' individual needs. The mean achievement of students at both schools improved in both mathematics and physical science, but more so in physical science. The MICSECs mainly served as a resource to students at the school where the centres were based and provided limited computer skills to students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. The findings of this study provided insight into the implementation of computer-assisted classes in two disadvantaged schools and the results can serve as baseline data for conducting research into computer-assisted learning environments in other secondary school grades in South Africa. However, it should be noted that students at the Grade 12 level also wanted a continuation of, indeed more of, teacher-centred teaching, in addition to the computer-assisted classes because of the perceived competency of teachers in helping them perform well in the matriculation examination.

It was the purpose of this research, to develop and test an artificially intelligent, learner-based, computer-assisted physics tutor. The resulting expert system is named ARPHY, an acronym for ARtificially intelligent PHYsics tutor. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase of the research, the system was constructed using Ausubel's advance organizer as a guiding learning theory. The content of accelerated motion was encoded into this organizer after sub-classification according to the learning types identified by Gagnds. The measurement of the student's level of learning was accomplished through the development of questioning strategies based upon Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. The second phase of this research consisted of the testing of ARPHY. Volunteers from four levels of first-semester physics classes at North Texas State University were instructed that their goal was to solve three complex physics problems related to accelerated motion. The only students initially instructed by ARPHY were from the class of physics majors. When the threshold values of the pedagogical parameters stabilized, indicating the fact that ARPHY's instructional technique had adapted to the class' learning style, students from other classes were tutored. Nine of the ten students correctly solved the three problems after being tutored for an average of 116 minutes. ARPHY's pedagogical parameters stabilized after 6.3 students. The remaining students, each from a different class, were tutored, allowing ARPHY to self-improve, resulting in a new tutorial strategy after each session. It is recommended that future research into intelligent tutoring systems for science incorporate the principles and theories of learning which this research was based upon. An authoring system based upon the control structure of ARPHY should be developed, since the modular design of this system will allow any field which can be organized into a net-archy of problems, principles, and concepts, to be tutored.