Sreelekshmi's blog: December 2022

Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)

"Computer- Assisted (or aided) Instruction " (CAI) is a natural outgrowth of the application of programmed Instruction. The aim of CAI is to provide individualised instruction to meet the special needs of each learner. It needs some efficient and flexible device that can store a gigantic amount of organised information and use selected portion to meet the needs of individual learner. Computer can store a vast amount of information suiting to the needs of individual learner. CAI's were also known as CBTs (Computer based training) when they were used to "train " Individuals for vocations. CAI programmes have the following features:

Interactive and can illustrate a concept through attractive animation, sound, and demonstration.
Allow students to progress at their own pace and work individually or problem solve in a group.
Provide immediate feedback, letting students know whether their answer is correct. If the answer is not correct, the programme shows students how to correctly answer the question.
Offer a different type of activity and a change of pace from teacher - led or group instruction.
Improve instruction for students with disabilities because students receive immediate feedback and do not continue to practise the wrong skills.
Capture the students' attention because the programmes are interactive and engage the students' spirit of competitiveness to increase their scores.
Move at the students' own pace and usually do not move ahead until they have mastered the skill.
Provide differentiated lessons to challenge students who are at risk, average or gifted.

Types of Computer- Assisted Instruction

1. Drill-and-practice Drill and practice provide opportunities or students to repeatedly practice the skills that have previously been presented and that further practice is necessary for mastery.

2. Tutorial Tutorial activity includes both the presentation of information and its extension into different forms of work, including drill and practice, games and simulation.

3. Games Game software often creates a contest to achieve the highest score and either beat others or beat the computer.

4. Simulation Simulation software can provide an approximation of reality that does not require the expense of real life or its risks.

5. Discovery Discovery approach provides a large database of information specific to a course or content area and challenges the learner to analyze, compare, infer and evaluate based on their explorations of the data.

6. Problem Solving This approach helps children develop specific problem solving skills and strategies.

Scopes of Computer -Assisted Instruction

CAI allows every student to move at his own speed. In classroom the teachers will be too fast or too slow for students. In either case the students will loose interest. CAI can eliminate this problem. It allows students to study any subjects at any time they wish. The normal school with a fixed timetable does not give this freedom. The computer also gives special attention to each student, keeps tracks of his or her difficulties and is extremely patient.

Apart from teaching subjects like mathematics, CAI can also be used for science experiments without the student going to a laboratory. In one such lesson, the screen shows all the items of apparatus needed for an experiment. The student has first to assemble the items correctly and make the set- up on the screen. She does this by touching an item on the screen and then touching that part of the screen to which she wants the item to be moved. The screen is sensitive to touch and the computer shifts the items on the screen as desired. The screen shows the experiment in progress. If all goes well, it also shows the results.
Thus, the student learns all about the experiment- what to do and what not to do.
The student can be involved in dangerous / hazardous tasks without any risk.

Experiments that may take years can be shown in a few minutes.

CAI is particularly good for subject like arithmetic, languages and computer programming. In one experiment a computer was very successful in teaching three -year- old children the basic skills of reading and writing.

Even differently abled children did well in the computerized classroom.

Advantages of CAI

CAI enables instruction to be individualised. It is helpful in adult education and continuing education.
Helpful for physically impaired learners;it can provide learning inputs through audio and video.
Helps in extending the reach of education to distant and remote areas and among various sections of the society.
Very useful in training of a variety of skills from typing to flying aeroplanes using the technique of simulation.
Enables high quality instruction for distant learning, made possible through the internet.
The learning materials are usually available on CD-ROMs and can be conveniently handled, since these digital discs process large storage capacities. Such discs are cheaper compared to equivalent quantities of printed matter.
Educational software not only carry information in the form of graphics, audio and video, but also provide interactive learning experience.

Limitations of CAI