Module 5

Development of
Computer Assisted Self Learning Material
Dr. Sunil Dutt
Professor & Head
Education and Educational Management Department,
National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research, Sector-26, Chandigarh (India)

Objectives of the Module:

After reading the learning material, you will be able to:

 Know the Concept and Styles of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material
 Know the Characteristics of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material
 Understand the process of developing Computer Assisted Self Learning Material

Learning Outcomes:
After reading the learning material, you will be able to:

 Explain the Concept of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material

 Describe various Styles of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material
 Describe the Characteristics of Computer Assisted Self Learning material
 Describe the process of developing Computer Assisted Self Learning Material

Pre-requisite Knowledge:
It is assumed that the learners are quite familiar with the concept of self learning material. He/she has also
understood the advantages of self learning material over the conventional teaching and text books. In
addition, the process of developing self learning material is also known to him/her.

Introduction

Dear learners, as you know that self learning material can be in print form or can be presented through
technology most specifically through the use of computer. We have understood the general principles, the
process and the format of developing self learning material. Since the computer assisted self learning
material has a few advantages over the print format of self learning material, thus, there is a need to
develop computer assisted self learning material to supplement learning on the part of learners.

This learning material will enable learners understand the Concept, Styles, Advantages of
Computer Assisted Self Learning Material, its process and the format.

5.1 Introduction
Creation and development of computer-assisted self learning material (CAI) is the result of
recent advances in computer technology, which is rapidly assuming a prominent role in
education and business organizations as well.

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Computer Assisted Self Learning Material is a method of self learning in which the learner receives
the instruction designed/provided through computer to teach, guide, and test the learner until a
desired level of proficiency is attained. It takes place without direct intervention and sometimes
without the presence of the teacher. In addition, it supplements instructions and provides
guidance on finer aspects.

5.2 Characteristics of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material

 Learner-centred & mostly self-instructional

Computer Assisted Self Learning Material are interactive in nature and can demonstrate a
concept, principle or skill through meaningful examples, illustrations, sound, attractive
animation, and videos etc. Further, these permit learners to study the content at their own
pace and even they may work individually or solving problem(s) in a group. Computer
assisted learning materials provide varied learning experiences and, are thus, different
from teacher-led or group instruction.

 Promotes problem solving & critical thinking skills

 Modular in nature, allowing it to be used by an individual learner; active
participant in learning
 Written in simple & interactive language
 Contains a statement of Learning Outcomes
 Arouses interest through an advance organizer.
 Provides multi-sensory approach. Computers can gain the attention of learner as the
programmes offered are highly interactive and, thus engage the learners’ spirit of
competitiveness to increase their scores.
 Content in Small Units, each unit followed by exercises; End of Module Tests
 Provides immediate knowledge of results. Immediate feedback to learner is quick through
computer, letting he/she knows whether his/her answer is correct. In case he/she attempts
the question wrongly, the program shows him/her how to correctly answer the question.

5.3 Computer Assisted Self Learning Material – Why

A number of studies (as per the literature) examined the relative effectiveness of computer
assisted instruction on achievement of learners in various subjects as contrast to traditional mode
of instruction and revealed that the computer assisted instruction group outperformed the group
with traditional mode of instruction in all achievement areas. Learners like the Computer
Assisted Self Learning Material program and benefited from it. Efforts are being made on the
part of the government to extend computer facilities in all institutions. Hence, expansion in
computer literacy and computer facilities warrants the need of Computer Assisted Self Learning
Material.

Kochhar (2007) experimented with Computer Assisted Instruction and Concept Mapping in
acquisition of biological concepts in relation to style of learning & thinking and found CAI and
concept mapping as superior instructional strategy than traditional lecture method. Pabla, (2006)
found in her study Computer Assisted Instruction and Video Assisted Instruction as superior
strategies in teaching of Mathematics as compared to Self learning Modules. Sharma (2006)
found CAI as a superior strategy in teaching of Economics at the secondary stage than Self
learning modules as related to Cognitive Style. Jindal (2008) in her experimentation found

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students taught through MMPs and Computer Assisted Instruction to have achieved significantly
high in acquisition of biological concepts than through traditional lecture method.

Computer Assisted Self Learning Material has improved the achievement of learners with
learning disabilities because learners receive content in small steps, study at their own pace and
are provided with immediate feedback and hence, they do not continue to practice the wrong
skills. Also, the learning material presents the content which enables the learner to proceed
his/her own pace and usually does not proceed ahead until he/she masters the content/skill.
Computer Assisted Self Learning Material provide differentiated lessons to meet the varied
needs of the learners who are at below average, average, or gifted.

Computer Assisted Self Learning Material can be used either in isolation, bearing the whole
responsibility for conveying instruction to students, or in combination with conventional, i.e.,
face-to-face, teaching methods. Research has shown that the combination of conventional and
Computer Assisted Self Learning Material has been most effective in raising student
achievement scores.

As such, a few advantages of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material are listed here:
 High Interactivity
 Individualizing instruction
◦ self-pacing
◦ meaningfulness to minimize the difficulty
◦ personalized
 Motivating
 Quick Responding by the learner and Receiving Immediate Feedback
 Controlling by the learner

However, it has a few disadvantages.

 Hardware is required
 The process of learning is rigid
 It provides programmed instruction

5.4 Styles of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material (Merrill et al., 1996)

1. Drill and Practice: These provide practice of ideas applied to new situations. These may
include Drill exercises aid memorization, quick recall.
2. Tutorial: Here, computer is given total responsibility for teaching; consists of sequences
of information- text, questions, responses, analysis of responses and feedback.
3. Simulation: Simulations provide feeling of working with real life situations; models the
real/imaginary world.
4. Games: These are quite effective in management and can present a variety of problems
in new exciting and stimulating ways.
5. Problem-Solving: Here, the computer poses a problem; learner uses database of
computer in solving problem. Database provides simulated experimental data or
information of materials, testing, design tools etc. In addition, computer monitors
student’s progress and provides feedback.

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5.5 Development of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material

The development of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material includes

 Stating the objectives/learning outcomes
 Identifying and considering the needs of the target learners
 Deciding/identifying the members of the design team
 Selecting compatible hardware and software
 Optimizing image quality and designing a palette,
 Structuring information, and
 Evaluating the learning material through learner’s feedback.

Although the individual teacher/developer may not possess all the knowledge & skills required
for developing a Computer Assisted Self Learning Material, even a basic knowledge of the
computer skill is sufficient to enable him/her to contribute in the process of developing a CAI
programme. The teacher/developer(s) should participate actively throughout the process to
integrate content, animations, videos etc. with CAI program design. Indirect involvement might
include participation in creative brainstorming sessions whereas direct involvement might help
ensure better image quality. A thorough understanding of the development process will enable
the teacher/developer to communicate effectively in the new medium of CAI.

This section deals with development of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) for imparting
instruction to students in the selected topics. There are three Phases – Plan, Design and
Development as follows:

• Planning:
o Determine the goals, i.e., what the learner needs to be able to do after completing the
program.
o The entry knowledge of the learner, i.e., the characteristics and instructional needs of
your intended learners
o Establish the constraints under which students will be working.
o Collect resources
• Designing:
o Activities like organizing the content and deciding on how it is to be treated
o Develop initial content ideas.
o Carry out task analysis.
o Prepare a prototype.
o Prepare scripts.
• Development:
o Prepare the text
o Develop the graphics, audio and video
o Prepare supporting materials
o Use of hyperlinks; animations
o Embedding videos and other files (excel/word etc)
o Locking keyboard
o Save power point file as power point slide show type
o Try-out; Make revisions

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 o Make final revisions
o Validate the program
Format showing different steps involved in the development of CAI (Meyer, 1984) is given in
the Fig. 1.

Identification of Need
An increased efficiency of the delivery of instructional material also makes students learn more
efficiently. Taking advantage of integrating technology in classroom teaching, a teacher can
create a learning environment which can meet the individual needs of the students and facilitate
them in having deeper insights of the concepts.

Selection of Topics
The topics are selected for preparing CAIs.
Identifying Need

Selecting Topic/Unit

Identifying Pre-Requisites
&
Specifying Objectives/LOs

Selecting, Analyzing and

Sequencing of Content

Preparing first Draft

Further Validation by Experts

Draft

Revision Any Change

Final Draft

Fig.1. Format showing different steps involved in the development of CAI (Meyer, 1984)

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Identification of Learning Outcomes

“…an instructor will function in a fog of their own making until they know just what they want
their students to be able to do at the end of instruction.”-R. F. Mager (1962.)

A learning objective is a statement that describes (in specific and measureable) terms what a
learner will be able to do at the end of a unit of instruction. It describes the intended outcome of
the instruction rather than mere a description or summary of the content. Stating LOs is an
essential step that should be followed when developing instruction (Morrison, 2004). Learning
Outcomes are written for the learner and that they state what he/she is expected to do following
instruction. Outcomes are specific, observable, and measurable learning outcomes (Waller,
2008).

Educators have used instructional, or behavioural, objectives by following different techniques

of writing objectives put forward by many educationists like Gronlund (1970), Mager, (1975)
and Popham and Baker (1970).

A teacher can follow Gronlund’s approach for writing general and specific objectives as below:

Table 2: General & Specific Objectives (Example)

Sr. Topics General Objectives Specific Objectives
No.
1. Ohm’s Law Understand Ohm’s  Define current, voltage and
Law. resistance
 Name the devices which measure,
C, V & R
 Draw the circuit diagram
 Verify Ohm’s Law
 State Ohm’s Law
 List its applications

Pre-test/ Post-test design

The experimental study was based on pre-test/post-test design. After having defined the
objectives, the content which was relevant to meet these objectives was selected. Students were
tested to establish their entry behaviour before they were taught the content matter through the
chosen teaching strategy. After imparting instruction for the selected topics of Biology, students
were tested to find the extent to which they had achieved instructional objectives.

Selection of Content
Content was selected carefully ascertaining that it effectively met the objectives defined. While
designing and developing instructional material, the content was analyzed through two types of
analyses viz. task classification and learning task analysis.

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Clustering of objectives into Instructional unit and sequencing of content

Based on the sequence of pre-requisite learning as revealed by analysis of the content,

sequencing of content was done. General objectives to be achieved were clustered into
instructional units combining similar objectives in one unit.

Preparation of CAI Learning Material

The format of the instructional material is given below:

 Introduction
 Description about how to use the Computer assisted learning material
 Objectives (Learning outcomes) – General and Specific
 Entry Behaviour Test
 Input
 Practice Task
 Feedback to practice task
 Summary of Input
 End Module Task
 Feedback to End Module Task

Principles of Learning applied to Instructional Material

While developing the instructional material, the following principles of learning and instruction
were taken into consideration:

 Motivating the learners to incorporate new concepts into their prior knowledge.
 Enhancing meta-cognition and facilitating shared vision and understanding.
 Instructing in small steps with immediate feedback accelerates the process of learning.
 Active participation promotes fast learning and retention.
 Learners learn meaningfully whatever is being taught to them without taking refuge to
rote learning.
 Fostering creativity
 Providing flexibility in teaching programmes for accommodating individual differences.

Learners’ Involvement

In order to keep learners actively involved in teaching learning process, following techniques
may be used:
 Conversational format
 Self Assessment questions
 Highlighting main information
 Incorporating relevant pictures, animations and movies explaining the concepts.

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Validation
After compilation and development of Computer Assisted Self Learning Material, the same will
be evaluated for validation by three ways – self evaluation, evaluation by students and expert
appraisal.

 The content matter of the self learning materials will be checked by the teacher/developer
himself/herself for its factual accuracy as well as for its relevance to the learning outcomes
defined.

 To check whether the developed self learning material is according to the mental level of the
learners of a particular class and whether it is effective in acquisition of concepts, principles
and skills, a few learners who are studying (or even who have already studied) in different
institutions can be chosen to go through the material for obtaining their feedback.

 Suggestions and comments of subject teachers/experts about the developed material are
taken who evaluated whether it incorporated essential characteristics of an effective
instructional material.

Final Instructional Material

Taking into consideration the outcomes of self evaluation, evaluation by students and appraisal
by the experts, necessary modifications are made and final Computer Assisted Self Learning
Material are prepared.

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Practice Task

1. Why Computer-assisted self learning materials are better than printed self learning
material?
2. Name the style of CAI where the computer is given total responsibility for teaching;
consists of sequences of information- text, questions, responses, analysis of responses and
feedback.
3. Which of the following styles of CAI provide feeling of working with real life situations
or models the real/imaginary world?
a) Drill & Practice
b) Simulation
c) Games
d) Problem-solving
4. State the activities involved in the planning stage of developing computer-assisted self learning
material.

Feedback/Self-evaluation to Practice task

1. Advancements in computer technology can integrate animations, videos for attracting the
attention of learners.
2. Tutorial.
3. b.
4. Stating the Learning Outcomes, considering the entry knowledge of the learner, establishing the
constraints under which learners would be working and collecting resources.

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References
 Anderson, LW; Krathwohl, DR; Airasian, PW; Cruikshank, KA; Mayer, RE; Pintrich, PR;
Raths, J and Wittrock, MC (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing:
A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Pearson, Allyn &
Bacon.
 Bloom, BS (Ed.); Engelhart, MD; Furst, EJ; Hill, WH and Krathwohl, DR
(1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New
York: David McKay Co Inc.
 Kochhar, RS (2007). Effectiveness of computer assisted instruction and concept mapping in
acquisition of biological concepts in relation to style of learning and thinking, Unpublished
Ph.D. Dissertation. Chandigarh: Panjab University.
 Pabla TK (2007). Effect of computer assisted instruction, video assisted instruction and self
learning modules on achievement in mathematics in relation to cognitive style, Unpublished
Ph.D. Dissertation. Chandigarh: Panjab University.
 Sharma, Bharti (2006). Effect of Computer Assisted Instruction and Self Learning Modules
on achievement in Economics as related to cognitive style at the secondary stage,
Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. Chandigarh: Panjab University.
 Singh, RP (2001). The effect of Total Television Teaching and Computer Assisted
Instruction on achievement in mathematics at the secondary level, Unpublished Ph.D.
Dissertation. Chandigarh: Panjab University.
 Vandana (2008). Effectiveness of Multimedia Presentations and Computer assisted
Instruction in acquisition of biological concepts in relation to cognitive style, Unpublished
Ph.D. Dissertation. Chandigarh: Panjab University.

Support Learning Resources:

 Video film on ‘Computer-Assisted Instruction Design & Development’ developed by Dr. Sunil
Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Video film showing ‘How a CAI looks like with an example of ‘Uniform and Non-uniform
Velocity’ developed by Dr. Sunil Dutt, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
 Designing & Developing Curriculum with Technology - Tools: Content and Resource
Curation/Creation: [Link]
 Educational Technology: Systematic Approach to Teaching.
[Link]
 Systematic Approach to Teaching. [Link]
teaching-73045107.
 Filep, RT (2008). A Systematic Approach to Instruction: Innovative and Sensitive.
[Link]
 Systematic Approach to Teaching (2008). [Link]
[Link].
 Visconti, Maria Nina (1984). The systematic approach to instruction: an effective instructional
strategy for learning; Modified on 23rd May, 2017. [Link]
 Batulan, Giselle (2014). Systematic Approach to Teaching.
[Link]

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