The computer as a creative educational tool.

Abstract

SYLVIA WEIR was born in South Africa and received her scientific and medical training there. In 1950, she received her medical degree (M.B., B.Ch.) at the University of Witwatersrand with residencies in internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics at Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. She obtained a B.Sc. in 1945 from the University of Witwatersrand with majors in physiology and histology. After 10 years in medical practice as a pediatrician in South Africa and Britain, she moved into the field of artificial intelligence and joined the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh. Her research and teaching has involved the use of computers as a tool for the understanding of human cognitive activity with a growing emphasis on issues of learning and teaching. First in Edinburgh and now for the past 5 years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she has worked with the use of computers in the education of exceptional children: physically handicapped, autistic and emotionally disturbed children, and children with specific learning disabilities. Dr. Weir is currently part of the MIT LOGO group which is jointly housed in the Division for Study and Research in Education and the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. INTRODUCTION