Formative Research on Telidon and Educati generated by the field trial. This research the participating institutions was of COn­ that a unified definition of Telidon or its Telidon within a site. For instance, tional backgrounds were impressed with By Avi Soudack has recently been completed and reported siderable interest. The research examined Illode of application was not possible. On librarians or resource teachers were what they saw. However, the effective and (Office of Project Research, TVOntario, the way teachers, students, and librarians the contrary, the different educational usually more effective in disseminating use of graphics in a sequence was found Bob Karam 1982). adapted Telidon to their own purposes goals of the participating institutions information about Telidon than to be a subtle and at times difficult design The research team was not involved in and the degree to which Telidon use Was greatly influenced the process of adoption classroom teachers. The workload, problem. In the opening pages of a se­ the actual running of the field trial. diffused through the institutions. and the patterns of use. motivation, and academic discipline of quence, a graphic may serve as a ABSTRACT Distribution of equipment and materials, 3. Assessment of Telidon sequences Differential involvement operated at the contact persons affected their promo­ stimulant, whetting the appetite. TVOntario recently conducted a field and liaison with the participating educa­ and database: The content of the Telidon twO levels - the institutional and the tion of Telidon and its subsequent use at Graphics that are essential to the purpose trial of Telidon in education, and a for­ tional institutions, were the formidable educational database produced during the departmental. At the institutional level, each site. of the sequence were also very successful mative research study based on the trial task of the Telidon project team. The field trial was examined in an attempt to for instance, universities were primarily 2.2 Printed Documentation - for instance, maps in a sequence on has been completed. The field trial in­ researchers, however, worked parallel gather information on how best to design interested in extensive research on the There was a demand, at the elementary geology. However, it was found that if a volved the deployment of Telidon ter­ with the project team, benefiting from videotex content for educational technology and its social impact. On the and secondary schools, for printed sup­ nonessential graphic is repeated minals at public schools, colleges, univer­ considerable assistance in the administra­ purposes. other hand, high schools were most often port materials. Teachers requested throughout a sequence, it can be sities, libraries, and special-educational tion of the various research methods The most important aspect of educa­ looking for new forms of teaching documentation on basic technical issues, frustrating to the user. institutions. The formative research effort employed. tional materials - their learning impact Illaterials; they were in search of alter­ and on pedagogical matters as well. They 3.3 Information Searches with a Menu· was undertaken to gather information on At most sites one person became the - was the most elusive to research. natives to stimulate and motivate their wanted suggestions on what Telidon Driven Branching Structure Telidon that could be applied to the major contact between TVOntario's However, some preliminary research was students. These different needs placed material to use and how to use it. This de­ Telidon graphics and text are compati­ development of Telidon in education. The Telidon project team and the institution. undertaken. different demands on the databases mand came especially from those who ble with a variety of types of computers research involved a variety of com­ Most often, this person created a Telidon 4. Perceptions: Future development of available during the field trial. had not produced sequences or had not and can be used with different methods of plementary research methods - in­ sequence (a series of Telidon pages) for Telidon and its processes of diffusion will At the departmental level, within each used Telidon at the sites. Interviews with accessing sequences. In the field trial, the cluding observation, interviews, and inclusion in the TVO database. have to take account of users' responses institution the use of Telidon was deter­ teachers suggested that the desire for assessing system required the user to survey questionnaires. During the field Throughout the field trial the contact peo­ to the technology. So administrators, mined by the physical location of the printed material may have been part of a make a series of selections from indexes trial, users tended to explore Telidon, ple administered the use of the terminal teachers, librarians, and students were Telidon terminal, and the discipline or larger need for guidance on how to apply displayed on the screen. The indexes rather than use it as a learning tool. at their institutions, often with the given opportunities to express their function of the department that ad­ Telidon to teaching. were arranged hierarchically - moving Several factors were identified as influen­ assistance of other interested staff or perceptions of the system. JIlinistered the terminal. For example, at from the general to the specific. The user cing how Telidon was implemented at students. the secondary-school level, terminals 3 Assessment of Telidon Sequences first searched for the sequence of interest each institution; these included the role of The Office of Project Research set up a METHODS were sometimes located in classroom or and Databases at the most general level - for instance, the contact person, and a need for printed research team whose primary task was to department office. Teachers and students 3.1 Size of the Database choosing "education" over "news" or documentation. The database was found provide systematic feedback on the uses The research team collected data from in the different departments looked for Participants in the field trial could ac­ "government services." The user would to contain too few sequences of interest of Telidon in education to TVOntario's 34 sites. These sites included primary, different types of sequences: cess a TVOntario educational database of then move to the next index, choosing and the search for sequences or informa­ Telidon project team and all those involv­ secondary, and postsecondary schools as mathematics teachers were often in­ GO sequences. A sequence is a series of among history, science, or literature se­ tion was considered too time consuming. ed in the field trial. Since the field trial well as public libraries and special­ terested in computer-assisted lessons; Telidon "pages" or videoscreens of image quences. In this way the user searched for The graphic design and educational level was exploratory and the research purely educational institutions. ~ographyteacherssoughtsequencesthat and text. The pages of sequence are all and retrieved the sequences of interest by of sequences were found to offer pro­ formative, the research team attempted to The research effort included a number could be used in class as visual aids. The organized around a common theme or consulting a series of indexes, or as they blems. Formative research provided be as unobstrusive as possible, trying not of complementary research methods: departmental specialization also limited structure. For instance, a sequence may are called in computer parlance, "menu systematic information of this type on a to intervene in the spontaneous ex­ structured telephone interviews with the the use of the system by staff and be a quiz on world history composed of 50 pages." new educational technology. perimentation undertaken by the field contact person at each site; observation students from other departments at the pages - some presenting questions, Librarians and experienced computer trial participants. conducted during on-site visits; personal institution. others providing answers. The sequences users found the menu-driven user sear­ The introduction of so new and un· interviews with staff at the participating 1.3 System Players in the database varied considerably in ches relatively inefficient. In the search TVOntario has recently completed a precedented a technology as Telidon into institutions; questionnaires administered At schools where students were allow­ form and content - from games to struc­ for one page of information many three-year field trial of Canada's videotex the educational system raise many ques­ to approximately 400 secondary and ed to use Telidon at their leisure, small tured lessons to simple lists of preceding "menu" pages had to be ex­ system, Telidon, in which educational tions and generated numerous postsecondary school students who used groups of students were drawn to "play information. amined. Other users recommended that videotex applications were explored. The hypotheses. At the outset, the research Telidon in their classes; questionnaires the system." These students searched for The creation of a GO-sequence database the menus include cross-references and field trial included a major formative team, in consultation with the project for 200 teachers and administrators at the game sequences on the database (of was a major effort, involving considerable descriptors to make searching for se­ research effort to gather information that team, specified a number of categories participating institutions; and a controlled which there were few). However, they human resources. Volunteers from the quences easier and quicker. The database could be applied to the future develop­ from which research questions should study, carri.;d out to examine the learning also enjoyed the exploration of the various sites produced sequences at during the field trial was relatively small, ment of Telidon and other computer­ emerge and information could be impact of a Telidon CAl sequence. database as a game in itself. We called TVOntario offices, on special minicom­ so this problem of accessing on-line infor­ communication technologies in gathered. These research categories their exploration "system playing" puters designed for page and sequence mation would be compounded in growing education' included: FINDINGS because it was not motivated by any par­ creation. The Telidon project team in­ databases. Supported by the Department of Com­ 1. Patterns of use: With so many pro­ ticular information search: rather, they cluded sequence creators who produced 3.4 Computer-Assisted Instruction munications, the field trial involved the mises and ideas in the air, the first priori­ The breadth of the research effort pro­ seemed to find enjoyment seeing how the their own sequences and trained and Several computer-assisted instruction implementation of Telidon videotex and ty of research was a basic record of how vided a great deal of data under each of database was organized, without regard assisted the volunteers. sequences were created for the TVOn­ teletex services for 50 educational institu­ Telidon was used during the field trial. the research categories. The following are to its contents. Despite this effort, Telidon users con­ tario database. In these sequences tions across Ontario (Syrett, 1981; Bowers 2. Implementation: The manner in selected main findings that reflect the sidered the field trial database too small. students learned material presented on and Cioni, 1982). Telidon terminals were which Telidon was put to use at each of general direction of the results. 2 Implementation In a survey conducted at the end of the the Telidon screen and answered ques­ installed at elementary and secondary 2.1 Role of Contact Person as field trial. experienced users rated the tions on the content materials as they pro­ schools, colleges and universities, public • The Telidon Field Trial and formative 1 Patterns of Use Facilitator lack of sequences of appropriate subject ceeded through the sequence. libraries, and special-educational institu­ research effort were supported by the Federal 1.1 Learning about Telidon There was limited spontaneous diffu­ matter and educational level as the largest Users familiar with computer-assisted tions. The Telidon project team engaged Department of Communications and TVOn­ Throughout the field trial the major use sion of Telidon use within each institu­ impediment to Telidon use. While GO se­ instruction instruction applications on TVOntario's Office of Project Research to tario. The authors would like to thank Pat Par­ of Telidon consisted of learning "about" tion during the period of the field trial. At quences represent a considerable other computer systems found the undertake a formative evaluation of sons, Helene Pedneault, and Kay Duggan for the technology, rather than "with" or lllany sites few teachers, staff, or students achievement, they were spread over 45 Telidon sequences limited in comparison. their contributions to the research, and "through" it. Whether in the form of olher than the contact person used the institutions, and many different courses For instance, the system as configured Telidon in education by examining the acknowledge the assistance of John Syrett, nature of the educational activity demonstrations or classes about "the neW system. The contact person emerged as of study and educational levels within during the field trial had no form of director of the Telidon Field Trial. TVOntario, technologies," Telidon itself was often the key link in the process of diffusion of each. record keeping; students could not be and Olga Kuplowska, manager of the Office of Avi Soudack and Bob Karam are Project Research, TVOntario. The opinions ex­ the object of interest. Telidon into his or her educational institu­ 3.2 Graphics and Educational Design identified by the computer and perfor- research officers at the office of project pressed in this paper are solely those of the 1.2 Differential Involvement tion. The administrative position of the The Telidon graphics were truly im­ research, TVOntario authors. It became clear during the field trial COntact person could influence the use of pressive - users of all ages and educa- (Continued on page 141

11 10 VOLUME 13, NUMBER 3, 1984 CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION COMPUTER NEWS E. Klopfer, Prof. of Educ., Chair, NSTA are several services with software '/lere combined with sequence creators' LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST Records ... Honorificabilitudinitatibus. Continued from page 3 Task Force, Univ. of Pittsburgh, LRDC databases," states Searchmart's presi. comments to provide suggestions for the Continued from page 7 Bldg., 3939 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA dent, Victor Gruneau, "but they charge development of effective sequences. For The final scene returns us to the 15260. 412/624-4821. substantial fees for making searches and instance, teamwork in creation, such as princess and her ladies. All have received companions come out to meet the ladies gifts from their admirers. Upon hearing they are not available on-line to software I!Iatching educators with graphic outdoors. Negotiation and bargaining New Software Evaluation Instrument shoppers who want to search the files on designers, may be one way to keep se­ from their page that the men are about to Free Access to On-Line Software follows, but some essential papers have make an appearance dressed in home or office terminals at their quences properly targeted and avoid an apparently not arrived, so the princess The National Science Teachers Associa­ Library Offered by Searchmart convenience." overemphasis on any aspect of a se­ Muscovite costume, the ladies determine and her ladies must stay the night. The to disguise themselves. Indeed, the tion (NSTAI has published ~ new Searchmart's Free Access On·line Soft. quence. Pre-testing sequences with target negotiations are firm, but towards the end Microcomputer Software Evaluation In­ Searchmart Corp., a South Florida firm ware Library allows anyone with data users would also be effective in sharpen­ "Muscovites" woo the wrong girls! The it is obvious that the king is quite taken by humorous Pagent of the Nine Worthies strument. Prepared by the NSTA Task specializing in database develoI?ment ~nd communications capability to search the ing the design and avoiding possible the Princess. follows as entertainment. Suddenly the Force on Assessing Computer-Augmented information retrieval systems, IS offenng software database. I!Iisuse of a sequence. In order to max­ Act III. Don Armando is in love ... Science Instructional Materials the new a Free Access Software Library that lists, Software manufacturers and vendors jmize the use of the database, some form merriment is broken as Don Armando is with the dairy maid. He asks his page to accused of getting Jacquenetta pregnant. instrument is designed to be used describes and demonstrates tens of will describe their products and Com­ of need assessment should also precede sing for him. A verbal duel between Moth primarily in school-level or district-level thousands of individual applications and panies on "pages," each page a !he creation of sequences. And more bad news arrives. The King of and Don Armando discusses love, and the France is dead. The princess resolves to evaluations of science instructional soft- systems software packages online. 40-character by 20-line CRT screen. dairymaid's probable virtue. Finally Don ware packages. . This library of systems and app~ications "They'll have the opportunity to give the FORMATIVE EVALUATION return home immediately. The men all Armando, desperately in love, determines proclaim their intentions but the ladies The eight-page instrument appears 10 software will be updated dally and software shopper as much information as AND THE TELIDON FIELD TRIAL to release Costard from his custody, so the January 1984 issues of NS!A's categorized by manufacturer, publi.s~~r they want - even demonstrations - and decide to make their lovers wait a full that Costard will deliver a message to his year before they will marry them. Even perodicals, The Science Teacher, Sczence or vendor, operating systems compatibIlI­ at a very modest cost per page." A substantial body of research is finally love. and Children and the Journal of College ty, protocol requirem~nts, progr~m For more information, contact Mary K. emerging in the wake of the enthusiasm Don Armando will have to prove himself Enter Biron. He too, apparently is in ... he will spend three years trying to be Science Teaching. Copies may also be ob­ classification, features, pnce and ordenng Hamm, Marketing Services Director, for educational applications of the new love, (Isn't everybody?) and he gives tained from NSTA, 1742 Connecticut information. Searchman Corporation, 636 U.S. videotex technologies. Researchers are a farmer! And so, as the play comes to an Costard another letter, destined for end, love has been proclaimed, but, at Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009. The unique feature is the free on-line Highway 1, Suite 210, North Palm Beach, Deginning to examine the antecedents, ap­ Rosaline. Thus Shakespeare contrasts the For more information, contact Leopold access to the software database. "There FL 33408. Or Call 305/845-2996. 0 lications, and effects of these new least a year must pass before any mar­ physical passion on the one hand, with riages will take place. Indeed, for the mo­ systems. One important type of research true, honest love, on the other. And FORMATIVE RESEARCH ~ applied formative research, which can ment at least, love's labour had been lost. Costard now has two letters to deliver. We began our discussion with a look at AFILM DIRECTED BY ALlAN KROEKER Continued from page 11 lffect planning and development directly. Act IV. There are three scenes in this The field trial explored the potentials of the art/science dichotomy so often cropp­ mance statistics were not compiled. Fur· act. The princess and her ladies are going elidon technology as an educational ing up in educational technology of the ther, the system did not allow the direct shooting in the forest, when they are in­ 1980's. We have concluded with 001. It also provided the opportunity for entry of text or numeric responses to a terrupted by Costard carrying the love let­ e formative research to be conducted. Shakespeare's metaphoric analysis in question posed in a sequence: the user ter meant for Rosaline. The princess asks Ve hope that the findings and recommen- terms of love and study. Who wins? could only enter page numbers through a that the letter be read aloud. It is full of tions will be useful for researchers and Shakespeare is predictably ambiguous. numeric key pad. Of course, these pro­ pomposity. And, it is, of course, the Perhaps we should be the same. Educa­ blems are not endemic to Telidon, whose actitioners working with Telidon and wrong letter. lher innovative educational technology. tional technology is more than a concept; graphic system can be adapted to dif· The second scene introduces two new it is a state of mind. And educational ferent host computing facilities and characters, the school teacher and the technologists will appreciate that in technical configurations. However, they REFERENCES curate. Jacquenetta enters with her letter. wers, O.G., and Cioni, M. 1982. Love's Labour's Lost, the master alert the developers of Telidon systems to Since she is illiterate, she asks the curate playwrite is ... just possibly ... speaking the need to ensure that any computer' Telidon and Education in Canada. to read it for her, which he does, and to us. assisted instruction sequences are suffi· Toronto: Ontario Educational Com­ which the school teacher is able to pro­ munications Authority. ciently flexible in design and po~erful in mptly criticise. Again it is the wrong let­ *** computing ability to compete WIth other ffice of Project Research. 1982. Telidon ter, which the characters note, and so and Education: A Formative We began our discussion with a look at available systems. they send Jaquenetta to the king! the art/science dichotomy so often cropp­ 3.5 Learning Impact Evaluation for the TVOntario Scene three. Biron is rediculed by the Field Trial, 1981-82. Report No. 16. ing up in educational technology of the A preliminary evaluation of one King, Longaville, and Dumain who see 1980's. We have concluded with computer-assisted instructional sequence yrett, J.H. 1981. "Project Report: that Biron is the first to break his oath. In Telematics." Canadian Journal of Sheakespeare's metaphoric analysis in suggested that certain Telidon sequences a quick philosophic flourish, Biron ex­ terms of love and study. Who wins? may be effective for some students and Educational Communication 11,2: plains that the only real books are the 20-21. 0 Sheakespeare is predictably ambiguous. ineffective for others. In this study more eyes of the ladies! argument is en­ Perhaps we should be the same. Educa­ advanced students learned as well from II\GO PROGRAM thusiasticlly accepted, and the four deter­ tional technology is more than a concept; Telidon as from a tradIlOna't' 1 teacher. fVntinued from page 6 mine to go off and study what should be it is a state of mind. And educational presentation. However, students 10 studied! technologist will appreciate that in Love's general-level classes who learned from Vatt, D. Fin~1 report.of the .Br~o~line "For women's eyes this doctrine I Labour's Lost, the master playwrite is ... Telidon tended to score less well on learn' logo proJect: profIles of mdIvIdual derive: just possibly ... speaking to us. 0 ing tests than students taught by a student work. Logo Memo 54, MIT They are the books, the arts, the covere~ teacher. The sequence studied a Logo Group, 1979. academes, MEDIA NEWS CEDRIC SMITH ElAN ROSS GffiSON BRYAN SfRATION small portion of the grade 9 mathematics Vatt, S. Logo in the schools, Byte, That show, contain, and nourish all Continued from page 9 and introducing GARTH DYCK as David curriculum and allowed students to go August 1982, 8 (7). 116-134. the world." through the material without teacher att,. D., & Weir, S. Logo: a.comp~ter en­ from the story by ALISfAIR MACLEOD Act V. More fun is made of jargon and Multimedia for Manitoba? assistance. Though this study could no Vlronment for learnmg dIsabled pedantry as the schoolmaster, the curate, Produced by STAN THOMAS employ complete controls on all related students. The Computing Teacher, the constable, and Don Armando go at variables these findings indicate that 5 (81 May 1981. An association for multi-image in Executive Producer: DONALD BRINTON educatio~al each other full tilt. Moth epitomizes the Manitoba is in the process of being sequences must be designed eir, S. The evaluation and cultiva­ jargonistic humor in which all indulge, with careful consideration of how and tion of spatial and linguistic established. Those interested, or those in "Now available for preview from your local NFB office" saying that "They have been at a great other provinces belonging to similar with whom they will be used. abilities in individuals with feast of languages, and stolen the scraps." 3.6 Designing Sequences cerebral palsy (Memo No. 4701. MIT associations with ideas which might help But it is Costard who ultimately produces the fledgeling organization, are invited to Findings on the role of graphics and thE} AI Labortaory, Cambridge, October the longest word of them all, probably ACANWEST BROADCASTING lID. PRODUCTION possible differential impact of sequences 1979. 0 contact Cliff Kehler, c/o Inland AV, 1645 good enough to enter the Guiness Book of St. James St., Winnipeg, R3H OX1. 0

14 VOLUME 13, NUMBER 3, 1984 NADIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION 15