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Newsgroups: comp.ai,comp.edu,comp.cog-eng
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Becoming CAI literate
Message-ID: <1988Mar9.183038.915@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <2960@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU>, <1988Mar2.125247.28809@lsuc.uucp>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 88 18:30:38 GMT

>This points out the difference between teaching and tutoring.  Most people
>I've talked to who have been involved in both agree that tutoring is
>much more efficient from the students viewpoint, but teaching is
>much more effecient from the teachers viewpoint...

More efficient from both viewpoints, actually, for many things, is to use
people for tutoring and *textbooks* for teaching.  I have never understood
why it is desirable to lecture at people who know how to read.  (Of course,
these days one cannot take that for granted in freshmen...)  The valuable
time of the teacher should be used for demonstrations, questions, helping
people who are having trouble, leading discussions, and so forth, *not* for
regurgitating canned material.

This does presume good textbooks or the equivalent, like mimeographed
lecture notes.  That is, it requires *preparation*, not a big favorite
of lazy teachers.

It also requires effort by the students, not a big favorite of lazy students.
The only way to make sure this actually happens is constant feedback, i.e.
frequent assignments or quizzes.

Yes, I know there are some lecturers who can make the subject "come alive"
in a way that a run-of-the-mill textbook can't.  However, (a) there are
damn few of them, and (b) they should be spending their time writing *good*
textbooks so more people can benefit from their skills.

(I should add that I think CAI has much promise as "interactive textbooks",
although existing systems often don't do a very good job of it, and has at
least limited promise for helping students with difficulties, many of which
are just as stereotyped as the contents of a typical textbook.  [And thus
should be dealt with once and for all via printed matter or software, not
with expensive human effort every time they occur.]  One should consider
first, though, whether mundane devices like books can do the job.)
-- 
Those who do not understand Unix are |  Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
condemned to reinvent it, poorly.    | {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,utai}!utzoo!henry