[unix-history] / usr / src / usr.bin / learn / USD.doc / p1

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