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PLATO and the English Curriculum.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: PLATO and the English Curriculum.
Language: English
Authors: Macgregor, William B.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 1982
Document Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors: Computer Assisted Instruction, Educational Technology, Educational Trends, English Curriculum, Feedback, Futures (of Society), Instructional Improvement, Interaction, Programed Tutoring, Student Teacher Relationship, Writing Instruction
Abstract: PLATO differs from other computer assisted instruction in that it is truly a system, employing a powerful mainframe computer and connecting its users to each other and to the people running it. The earliest PLATO materials in English were drill and practice programs, an improvement over written texts, but a small one. Unfortunately, game lessons, entertaining drill and practice lessons that take advantage of PLATO's graphics, are mostly intended for young children and have been poorly adapted for deficient college students. Tutorial lessons that attempt to simulate human interaction are much more effective, but also much more rare. An advanced tutorial program (often referred to as a "problem solving design" or dialogue system) already on PLATO indicates just how much PLATO could do. This program helps students generate and organize ideas and explains mistakes "intelligently." But since current technology cannot produce a genuinely intelligent computer, another approach using a version of Peter Elbow's heuristics and the strengths of the PLATO system requires the computer to assume a stance as a nonjudgmental medium, a neutral manipulator of information--a tool that students can use to help them learn to use language on their own. The idea of teacher as arbiter is itself probably the source of the emphasis on computer as arbiter; both should be replaced by the idea of teaching as assistance, helping the student write for a real audience, his or her peers. (JL)
Entry Date: 1983
Accession Number: ED227484
Database: ERIC
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  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED227484
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: PLATO and the English Curriculum.
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Macgregor%2C+William+B%2E%22">Macgregor, William B.</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1982
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Guides - Classroom - Teacher<br />Speeches/Meeting Papers
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Assisted+Instruction%22">Computer Assisted Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Technology%22">Educational Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Trends%22">Educational Trends</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Curriculum%22">English Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Feedback%22">Feedback</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Futures+%28of+Society%29%22">Futures (of Society)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Improvement%22">Instructional Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interaction%22">Interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Programed+Tutoring%22">Programed Tutoring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Teacher+Relationship%22">Student Teacher Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Instruction%22">Writing Instruction</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: PLATO differs from other computer assisted instruction in that it is truly a system, employing a powerful mainframe computer and connecting its users to each other and to the people running it. The earliest PLATO materials in English were drill and practice programs, an improvement over written texts, but a small one. Unfortunately, game lessons, entertaining drill and practice lessons that take advantage of PLATO's graphics, are mostly intended for young children and have been poorly adapted for deficient college students. Tutorial lessons that attempt to simulate human interaction are much more effective, but also much more rare. An advanced tutorial program (often referred to as a "problem solving design" or dialogue system) already on PLATO indicates just how much PLATO could do. This program helps students generate and organize ideas and explains mistakes "intelligently." But since current technology cannot produce a genuinely intelligent computer, another approach using a version of Peter Elbow's heuristics and the strengths of the PLATO system requires the computer to assume a stance as a nonjudgmental medium, a neutral manipulator of information--a tool that students can use to help them learn to use language on their own. The idea of teacher as arbiter is itself probably the source of the emphasis on computer as arbiter; both should be replaced by the idea of teaching as assistance, helping the student write for a real audience, his or her peers. (JL)
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 1983
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: ED227484
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Computer Assisted Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Trends
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Feedback
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Futures (of Society)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Programed Tutoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Teacher Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: PLATO and the English Curriculum.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Macgregor, William B.
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Type: published
              Y: 1982
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