Lesson 10: THE COMPUTER AS A TUTOR

      It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play information deliverer and learning environment controller.

DISCUSSION:

1.      Do you believe CAI in some future time can replace teachers in the classroom?

Ø  No.

2.      Since it is admitted that CAI relate to lower learning skills (behaviorist and cognitivist learning), what grade levels would CAI drill-and-practice software materials be useful? Do you think those in college will still want drill-and-practice learning activities that provide plain memorization (behaviorism) and brain processing like a mere computer (cognitivism)?

Ø  In will be in the Primary and secondary levels.

3.      What problem can be encountered if a school (such as in poor countries) cannot afford to provide enough computers to students? Will CAI work at all with a whole school using single computer?

Ø  No, single computer will not work in the whole school even though they use projector because the student will not be interested anymore if that will happened because we all know that student want to explore and experience new things, that’s’ why CAI will not work if there will be only one computer in a school.

4.      What can the school neighborhood community or non-government organizations do to put public schools on a fast track for the integration of technology in public education?

Ø  If they are really wanted the fast track for the integration of technology in public education, they should have the unity and ask for help or submit a proposal to the government for assistance for integration of the public schools.

      The computer is a tutor in this new age of learning. It does not replace the teacher, although it assumes certain roles previously assigned to teacher who now has to take the new role of facilitator and guide.

      Computer activities are not the end-all of learning since they have to conform to the lessons/curriculum.

      Computers will become an integral component of the future classroom and not a mere machine that can deliver routine drills and exercises.

DISCUSSION:

1.      Many software materials available in developed countries are not yet available in developing countries. Do you think awareness of the existence of these materials can still help teachers in developing countries?

Ø  Yes, because this teacher will work hard so that they will be more competitive even though some materials do not yet exist in their places.

2.      Students play games at home and nearby school computer cafés. How do these games differ from instructional computer games?

Ø  Computer games are games that student play when they are bored and they want only for entertainment. And the Instructional computer games, are game usually played by student if they want to improved their abilities and skill in a specific area. And mostly it is played by low achieving learners to improvethere thinking skills.

3.      Discuss the difficulties of using software: number of school computers available, need to evaluate these software materials, need to find ways to integrate them into lessons/curriculum. How futuristic are computers as tutors in our Philippine educational scenario?

Ø  It is difficult to use software if there is only one computer available in a school, if the teachers also do not know how to manipulate the computer and if the connection is very fair.

Ø  It will be successful, because we all know that the Philippines is a developing country and most of the school have connection in the internet that we can use to access some international information that will help us in our need mostly in computer tutoring.