3.534 computers assist instruction? cont. (126)

Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@vm.epas.utoronto.ca)
Tue, 3 Oct 89 17:09:23 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 534. Tuesday, 3 Oct 1989.


(1) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 89 20:42:11 EDT (14 lines)
From: cbf@faulhaber.Berkeley.EDU (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 3.530 computer-assisted instruction (20)

(2) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 89 21:02:00 EDT (23 lines)
From: "Leslie Z. Morgan" <MORGAN@LOYVAX>
Subject: RE: 3.533 Notes and Queries (96)

(3) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 89 10:17:41 CDT (44 lines)
From: "Norman D. Hinton" <SSUBIT12@UIUCVMD>
Subject: CAI

(4) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 89 13:42:46 PDT (16 lines)
From: DONWEBB@CALSTATE (Donald Webb)
Subject: discontent with no place for computers

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 89 20:42:11 EDT
From: cbf@faulhaber.Berkeley.EDU (Charles Faulhaber)
Subject: Re: 3.530 computer-assisted instruction (20)

Second the motion. We are using computers primarily as
repositories of machine-readable texts in order to
print those texts out for distribution to classes.

Charles B. Faulhaber
Department of Spanish
UC Berkeley CA 94720
bitnet: ked@ucbgarne
internet: cbf@faulhaber.berkeley.edu
telephone: (415) 642-2107
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------30----
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 89 21:02:00 EDT
From: "Leslie Z. Morgan" <MORGAN@LOYVAX>
Subject: RE: 3.533 Notes and Queries (96)

I would like to comment on two items recently appearing in the *Humanist*.
First, about the possible resurgence of storytelling: how about
rap music as evidence? The small amounts I have heard seem to hold
stories.
Secondly, about time, teaching and computing. Since time is limited, and
in foreign language best used (I believe) in oral, communicative interaction,
it seems reasonable to program the CAI, spell-checking, etc. functions onto
the computer, while we are learning snazzier stuff like Video-disk interaction,
etc. The kids love it- but not in overdoses, just like anything else. The
same is true of a reasonable language lab program: they can practice comprehensi
on at their own speed.
Thus, not only do we not have to type a whole test over to re-do a question,
we can also send students to practice irregular verbs, learn vocabulary, etc.
Why not? But, again, moderation is a key, as is also the primary importance
of the instructor.
Leslie Morgan
Foreign Langs.
Loyola College
Baltimore, MD (MORGAN@LOYVAX)
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------52----
Date: Tue, 03 Oct 89 10:17:41 CDT
From: "Norman D. Hinton" <SSUBIT12@UIUCVMD>
Subject: CAI

I'm sorry to hear from Professor Riley that his department has been
unable to find useful CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction) materials
for the Humanities.

Here at Sangamon State (an Illinois state University in Springfield,
named for the county which in turn is named for an Indian tribe) we
have the PLATO system, and we do in fact use CAI in a variety of courses.
For instance, in our introductory Colloquia (one undergrad, one grad) we
use, *inter alia*
--a lesson on MLA footnoting and bibliographical style
--a lesson on the dates of literary works
--a lesson on using the library
--a lesson on vocabulary for English students (word-formation,
word roots, etc.)
--a lesson on reading "Leda and the Swan"
and various others. These materials were written by me and by some of our
students.

In my Chaucer course I use 5 lessons on Chaucer's Middle English which
I wrote, plus a simulation "game" on running a late medieval manor
which was written by two people on PLATO at the University of Ilinois

In History of the English Language I use a variety of lessons, some
written by me, some written by linguists at the U. of Illinois, on
such topics as Grimm's Law, the Great Vowel Shift, American dialects,
et. al.

I should say that I was already a tenured full Professor when I began
to learn to program, and that SSU has been hospitable to faculty who
develop computer materials for teaching. I know this is luck, but it
also took a lot of arguing and memo writing: a past VP for Academic
Affairs, a historian, held that humanists had no business with computers.
He is no longer here, however.

I must admit that out in the great commercial world of CAI software
there has been little to like for college/university level humanities.
But programming is the most fun you can have with a computer, and the
most rewarding ! (I also program a lot of my own research databases,
test analysis, etc., and have been using the results in scholarly papers
for about 10 years.)
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------23----
Date: Tue, 03 Oct 89 13:42:46 PDT
From: DONWEBB@CALSTATE (Donald Webb)
Subject: discontent with no place for computers


My friend and officemate Mark Riley is all too right in saying (Mon 2 Oct)
"In the humanistic disciplines (versus CAD classes for example) computers here
have no role." ... I would add only two things: first, neither of us is content
with that state of affairs. Second, our campus does have two offices that use
computers extensively: the Assisted-Devices Center and the Computer Access
Center, both of which work, in different ways, with students who have visual,
auditory or motor-skill impairments.

Don Webb (DonWebb@CalState)
California State University, Sacramento