Learning "From"

• Overview:  Computer Based Instruction (CBI), Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI), or Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) are all encompassing term used to describe education and learning from computers. Computer Based Instruction has traditionally been composed of four main components, Drill and Practice, Tutorials, Games and Simulation and Modelling. Modern technologies have added to these Hypertext, Hypermedia and Multimedia. 
  
  Drill and Practice was probably the most extensively used CBI application in the early days of the educational use of computers. The student is presented with a task, often selected randomly, and feedback is offered immediately it is completed. There is a place for drill and practice mainly for the beginning learner or for students who are experiencing learning problems.

It can be argued that there were two main reasons for this; (1) they were comparatively easy to program, which was important as there was little available commercial software and so teachers who wished to use computers had often to write much of the software themselves; (2) the programs could show off effectively the capabilities of the computer and this was important for the computer-enthusiast teacher as it could help to win over colleagues to the cause, and hopefully, result in more money being spent on computers in schools.

It is possible to have a game and a drill and practice program that contain the same content, but which have a different end result.  For example, the game Maths Invaders has the same content as a drill and practice program in that users are asked to complete a number of sums, but the outcome is different as when a question is answered correctly, as in the game the student gets to shoot down an alien.

A game can also have the format of a simulation but the major difference between the two is that a simulation normally models a real life situation whereas a game can model an imaginary one. Games also have a place to play in the classroom especially as a way of increasing the motivational levels of students.

More...............................  An Introduction to Computer Based Instruction