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ED158767.Pdf DOCUMENT RESUME ED 158 767 IR 006 398 AUTHOR Slattow, G., Ed. TITLE ,1 Demonstration of the PLATO IV Computer-Based Education System. Final Report: January 1, 1972-June 30, 1976. INSTITUTION Illinois Univ., Urbana. Computer-Based Education Lab. SPONS AGENCY National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE Mar 77 k, CONTRACT NSF-C-723 NOTE 4tep. AVAILARLEFROM Computer-based Education Research Laboratory, University Of. Illinois, Urbana, Illinois ($7.70) EDRS PRICE. MF-$0.83 HC-$22.09 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS College-Programs; *Computer Assisted Instruction; *Curriculum Development; Elementary School Mathematics; Formative Evaluatidn; Higher Education; *Instrpttional Design; Interinstitutional CoopeRation; Man Machine Systems; Networks; On/rine System's; Publications; Reading Instruction; *Systems Development; Tables (Data) IDENTIFIERS *PLATO. IV ABSTRACT This report for the period January 1,:1972 to June 30, 1976 describes a program conducted to reach the following major objectives: (1) to develop, test, and operate -a large geographically dispersed PLATO IV network; q2) to implement an educational prograda involving educational liaison, teacher/author training, curriculum -planning, an& materials development; (3) to carry out a two-year field, test and demonstration; and (4) to develop plans and strategies and assisi in a systematic evaluation of the educational effectiveness of the 'PLATO IV system. Chaptef t gives a brief account 'of PLATO history, a summary of the program, and n discussion,of,the results and. their impliCations, Chapter 2 describes the methods by which the PLATO Service Organization provides authoatraining, -liaison,' documentation, and other services to.a larTe User community. Chapter 3 provides evaluation of system reliability, performance, 'use, .and-educational effectiveness, and presents a detailed case study in elementary mathematics. The next twc chapters desc ibe experience in the use of PLATO in mathematics and reading in elementary schools. Chapter 6 describes the community colleges program project, which has: introduced PLATO curi-i-cula in accountancy, biology, chemistry, English and mathematics: Chapters 7 and 8 describe the experience with PLATO. in the teaching of physicS and chemistry at the university level. The final chapter discusses the dontinucus development of systems software for PLATO. (Author/VT) **'*********************************************************************. * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * ******************io**************************************************** r U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,' EDUCATION &WELFARE In the preparation of this NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ,I EDUCATION report, pages,10_allid 11 became THIS DOCUMENT IIAS SEEN REPRO- interchanged. Page 11 should DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- be read first. ATING IT POINTS 00 VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE- SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY p FINAL REPORT 2 DEMONSTRATION OF THE PLATO IV 9 COMPUTER-BASED EDUCATION SYSTEM A report made under NSF Contract c-723 Computer-based Education Research Laboratory PLATO PROJECT 99. January 1, 1972 -- June 30, 1976 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS HTeERitrkHASrBEfN GRAVED BY ve sity or Illinois Computer- 4 ftesaarr-h-La-bor March, 1977 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) AND USERS OF THE ERIC SYSTEM." O ff 4 V. Chapter 1- of this report was prepared by F. Propst and G. Slottow, Chapter 2'by.W. Golden, Chapter3 by R. AVner and J. Gilpin, Chapter 4 by R. Davis, Chapter 5 by P.'Obertino4 Ch6ter 6 by D. Alpert, P. Jordan, D. PondY). R. Hubel, and L. DiBelrd, Chapter 7'hy B. Sherwood Chapter 8 by B. Smith and Chapter 9 by BA.SherWCod. G. Slottow servedas editor with speciarSeip from F. P]sppst, S. Dugdale and P. Jordan. R. Lipschutz and W. Wilson provided the art work and most ot_lthe typing was .performed by P. Mansell, S. Morgan, ind S. Pellum. r 0 0 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1, INTRODUCTION' 1 .1.1 Background 2 1'.2 Summary of the Program 5 1.3 Problems ..., 9 , 1.4 Major Accomplishments 12 System Development 1.4.1 12, 1.4.2 Hardware Development 13. 1,f4.3 Software DeVelopment 14 lf.4.4 System Implementation 14 1.4.5 Currictilum Development 15 1.4.6 Applications Research 16 1.4.7 \ , $,` - Media Development ...., 17 2. PLATO SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS 1 9 3. INTERNAL EVALUATION 26 3.1 IntroductiOn 3.2 System Accessibility ... '`f ....,^ *... 27 3.2.1 Availability and Reliability , ....-. 27 3.2.2 Design Standards .- ....,.. 31 3.2.3 System Utility . ... 32 3.3 User Acceptance . ... 34 3.4 Educational Effectiveness Discussion ..... " .... 4 37 3.3 'A Formative Assessment of the PLATO Elemene 4.athertatics Curriculum ., 43 3.5.1 Summary s to ..., 43 3.5.2 krhe Three Stran s ,.. ..N. ..,., 43 3.5.3 Performance Resu ....,.. ..,.......,..-..... 44 3,54,1 ETS Covari nce'Analyses goq ../. 1)119. -7% 46 3.5.2.2 CERL Matched-Pair Anaiys/t., ,.,.... 46 3.5.3.3 CERL Attemps at Analysis o.1 ill,ciatdi.zeci,Tet.. 49 3.5.4 Time Data .. 7,.... 49 3.5.5 Discussion ".-... , ..... 51 Wordsrds of Caution .. 53 p 3.5.7 ETS's Topic Coverage Questionnaire , ." ..... 56 v.... , 3.5.8 Conclusion to Section 3.5 . 58 3.6. Evaluation Problems ,, 59 3.7 Personnel . 62 4. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS 63 4.1 Statement, of the Problem 63 4.2 :Summary Of the Program / ozwir S ( 4.3 The Different Roles that PLATO can Play in a classroo : Examples of Courseware 69 4.4 Communications Between Teachers and PLATO 83 4.4.1 Teacher Inputs to PLATO 83 4.4.2 Feedback to the Teachers from PLATO 84 4.5 Historical Records of Class,room Trials 89 4.6 Teacher and Student Response 91. 4.6.1 Student Attitude Changes .91- 4.6.2 Teachers' ObServations 94 4.6.3 Achievement Tests' 95 4.6.4 Case Studies, of Gifted Children 95 4.6.5 Seventh Graders at University High School 96 .4.6.6 Requests from PTA's and School ' 96 0 4.7 Summary 97 4.8 Personnel 9a 5. ELEMENTARY READING 99 ti 5,1 Introduction , 5,2 Background and Goals ' 102 5.3 Lessons 104 5.3.1 Orientation to the-PLATO Terminals 104 5.3.2 Visual Skills .. 104 5.3.3 Letter Names, Alphabetization, and Introduct'on to Letter Sounds ( 105 5.3.4 Auditory Discrimination 105 5).3.5% Phonics 105 5..3.6 Basic Vocabulary Words 105 . 5.3.7 "Concept Words 106 5.3.8 'Stories I 106 5.3.9 Miscellaneous 107 5.3.10 Lesson Implementation 107 5.4 Guidelines for Interaction' ... 109 5,5 Model of the Learning-to-Read Process 112 5.6 Curriculum Development, ImpleMentation, and Management'Syptems 112 5.7 Student Performance Data 116 5.8 Hardware and Software Constraints 117 5.9 Unique, Capacities of PLATO in Reading Instruction 120 5.10 Summary and Conclusions -,, . 121 .g) .5.11 Personnel 1. .124f . 6. COMMUNITY CQLLEGE PROGRAM. ... .. 125 / , . / ----- . 6,1 Discussidn and Summary of the Community College Program 125 6.1z1 Basic Assumpltior}S and Goals 127 6.1.2 Make -Up of.thp Community Colleges 128 6.1.3. ProjeCt Coordinating Staff (CERL) 132 6.1.4 Liaison 133' 6.1.5 Courseware 134 iii , . ... 1 6:1.6 Usage 13 6' . ,6.1.7 7 Data CollectiO"ki .t' i..., 136 6.1:8 . Sothe ObservatiOns and Codclusions ' 141 6.2 Accouancy .,,,0 145 . 2.4 ihtroduction . r.,.... 145 '' 2.2 Lesson Development 1 146 6.243 LessOn Design t 147 -Tib '6,2 Implementation s'' , 147* 6.2.42.1 History' 147 __i_ 4 ' 6.2.4.2 Usage , 149 . 6.2.4.3 Instructor Att tudes " 150\ 6.3 Community College Biology '1,52 6.3.1 In roduction 152 6.3.2 Les on Development , % '153 i, 6.3.3 Less nDesign . , k 155 ' 6.3.4 Implementation ....4 158 6.3.5 Attitddes 161, 6.\3'.6 Recommendations 162 .4 Community College Chemistry ., 165 1 6.4.1 Introduotion ,,. 165 1 , 6.4.2 Lesson Developth 165 ^ 6.4.3 Lesson Design i 166 6.4.4 Implementation . 168 -6.4.5 Attitudes',i 170,--' 6.4.6. Recommendations 171 6.5 Community College.English 172 6.5.1 Introduction , 172 : 6:5'.2 Curriculum Development 6.5.3 Impiementation, .175 6.5.4 Data Collection' . 177 6.5.5 Conclusins 178 6.6 Community College Mathematics' 1 180 6.6.1 Introduction b. 180' 6.6.2 Curriculum'Development ... 180 6.6.3. Lesson,Design 181 6.6.4 Implementation r `182 6.6.5, Attitudes 188 6.6.6 Eiffect on Student Performance t 190 IF 6.6.7 -donciudin4 Remarks 192 1, 4,. 7. UNI RSITY'PHYkCS: 193 1 . $ 7.1 iSumthary ,. 193 7.2 Authorg , I 193 -7.3 History and Setting .4. 4e*. 194 7.4 Lessons . i 195 . , 7.5 ClassicalSMechanics . 196 .7 7.6 Introcuctory Modern Physics ( i. Waves and Optics) 199 400per-Level Physics Courses 1 199 7.7 C 200 ' 7.8 Status of Departmental Involvethent With,P,LATO Y . -I 7.9 Evaluation 200 I iv .. .. 7.10 Problems in Using PLATO / : 207 7.11 PLATO Features ParticuXary Usefulin Physics Teachi g '214,- 7:12.Futpre Development , a 215 7.13 PLATO Physics Materials September 1976 216 7.13.1 Classical Mechanics ' V 216 7.13.2 Relativity 219 7.13.3 ,Drills 220 C 7.13:4 Modern Physics 221 peT 7.13,5 Geometric Optics 222 3.\(. Particles and Waves , .13.7 Elementary Quantum Mechanics \a-?----223 -, . A 7.13d8 Thermal Physics 224 1 7.13.9 Elementary Electric 224 7.13.1,0 Intermediate Optics 2 4 7.13.1h Intermediate Quantum'Mechancis -. 2 5 7.13(12 ServiCe Routines .... O 2.6 .
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