Computer-aided Learning Programs Research Articles

Significance and challenges of computer assisted education programs in the UAE: A case study of higher learning and vocational education

Due to the ever increasing demands for highly skilled workforce in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the government has focused on promoting vocational education for inculcating technical and professional skills in the young Emiratis. Currently, the UAE provides a lot of educational services to its young citizens from kindergarten to higher education level. Similar efforts are being made to achieve good quality vocational education, yet the rate of uptake in technical vocational education and training (TVET) is relatively low in UAE. To meet the shortcomings in the present approach to promote TVET in UAE, the government has made efforts by introducing computer assisted education programs. The present review article will evaluate the need for integrating computer aided learning methods to the vocational and higher education systems and the challenges faced on its implementation in UAE. The main aim of the paper is to present that whether or not computer aided learning programs help the students in vocational learning and to highlight the shortcomings of these systems in achieving the intended purpose. On reviewing the surrounding literature, it was found that, fundamentally, the advantages offered by TVET and computer-based learning are commercial in nature. Nevertheless, they assist in providing societal improvements as a whole by rendering good quality of learning to students, alleviating unemployment and nurturing lifelong learning among the citizens of UAE, thus ensuring self-sufficiency in them.

A study to assess the knowledge on computer aided learning programs among students attending Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi campus

Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) is a method of acquiring knowledge using electronic media which is gaining recognition among students. This requires access to computers and considerable awareness on information technology. Studies the world over have also highlighted the roles of computer as an instructional material in the classroom particularly in regard to assisting in enriching the teaching learning. Objective: The objective of this study sought to assess the knowledge on computer aided learning programs among students attending Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi campus Methods: This study was a descriptive research study, the targeted population of the study were 4,490 KMTC Nairobi Campus students, and the sample technique used was random sampling. Data was collected from respondents by use of a questionnaire, and the analysis was based on the findings obtained from the questionnaire. Data presentation was in form of descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, pie charts, bar graphs and tables. Results and Discussions: The data from the knowledge on computer aided learning programs were summarized in three main evaluation areas targeting the ICT access, student perception and frequency of computer use. From the findings, there was a significant association between knowledge and perception of ICT and participants sex (p = 0.001). Females were more likely to have positive responses compared to males (72.3 versus 49.9%). Access point was also associated with perception (p = 0.005). Accessing computers in the computer lab was associated with higher Likert scale responses. The perception of CAL among the students was closely associated with how much the students access the CAL and their knowledge on computers at KMTC. 184 (97.4%) of the participants reported that computers were available in college, and 138 (74.6%) said that the access point were the computer laboratory. These findings were in line with the Kenyan Government agenda for increasingly acquiring computers to equip all the public schools and institution of higher learning according to the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Sessional Paper, (2012). Conclusions: Based on the results and discussions, among the main problems that key informants described during the study, regardless of the fact that there was a significant association between knowledge and perception of ICT and participants gender, female students had more access to CAL facilities as compared to the male students. Hence the female students at KMTC had more knowledge as compared to the male students with regards to CAL Recommendations: KMTC in collaboration with the MOE needs to come up with a standardised guideline for CAL implementation

Design and validation of a computer-aided learning program to enhance students' ability to recognize lameness in the horse.

The ability to recognize lameness in the horse is an important skill for veterinary graduates; however, opportunities to develop this skill at the undergraduate level are limited. Computer-aided learning programs (CALs) have been successful in supplementing practical skills teaching. The aim of this study was to design and validate a CAL for the teaching of equine lameness recognition (CAL1). A control CAL was designed to simulate learning by experience (CAL2). Student volunteers were randomly assigned to either CAL and tested to establish their current ability to recognize lameness. Retesting occurred both immediately following exposure and 1 week later. At each test point, the number of correct responses for forelimb and hind limb cases was determined. Student confidence was assessed before and after CAL exposure, with previous opportunities to recognize lameness taken into account. Immediately following exposure, the number of correct responses was significantly higher for CAL1 than for CAL2, both overall and for forelimb cases but not for hind limb cases. After 1 week, the CAL1 group performed significantly better overall compared to the CAL2 group, with no significant difference between forelimb and hind limb cases. Student confidence and ability to recognize lameness were significantly improved following exposure to CAL1. When considered as one category, students in years 4 and 5 performed significantly better than year 3 students. Gender did not significantly affect performance. CAL1 could be used to supplement current lameness recognition opportunities. CAL1 is, however, limited in its ability to improve lameness recognition, especially in relation to hind limb lameness where it was unable to attain a significant difference from CAL2.

Perceptions of United Kingdom pharmacy lecturers about teaching pharmaceutical care

AbstractPharmaceutical care is now regarded as the primary mission of pharmacy practice. To help ensure that this mission is fulfilled, pharmacy students need the clinical knowledge and skills that underlie pharmaceutical care, and pharmacy academics need to be aware of this concept and its applications. A survey was conducted of British pharmacy lecturers' views on teaching pharmaceutical care. Correlations between lecturers' characteristics (sex, teaching commitment and teaching experience) and the use of computer-aided learning (CAL) in teaching pharmaceutical care were also evaluated. Self-completion questionnaires were sent to 16 heads of departments of pharmacy practice, or their equivalent, for distribution. There was a 40 per cent response rate. Perceptions varied considerably in terms of the definition of pharmaceutical care, the difference between clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care, the application in practice settings, drug-related problems, knowledge and skills required and the barriers to teaching pharmaceutical care. Lecturers' characteristics were not related to views on either the use of CAL generally or the potential use of CAL in teaching pharmaceutical care. Many respondents agreed that a CAL program could be used to supplement pharmaceutical care teaching. Further studies on pharmaceutical care teaching are suggested.

An internet based learning tool in orthopaedic surgery: Preliminary experiences and results

Today universities can offer a variety of educational resources to their students through the internet. These may include lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations, or even an entire recording of a lecture in video format. At the Hannover Medical School (Hannover, Germany), the Trauma Surgery Department in collaboration with the Institute of Medical Informatics has developed an alternative method of "E-learning". We created a web-based multimedia resource center for Trauma Surgery using the Content-Management-System (CMS) Schoolbook application, which was initially developed by the Institute of Medical Informatics. The so called "Trauma Surgery Schoolbook" was first adopted in October of 2005 and has since been used and evaluated by medical students at our institution. The evaluation results for the academic year 2005/06 are reported in this paper. The majority of students enrolled in the Trauma Surgery rotation utilized the Schoolbook, which they regarded as a helpful and effective study tool. Our students embraced the possibility of being able to prepare for lectures and use the Schoolbook for independent home studying purposes. Over time, there was a steady increase in the utilization of the Schoolbook by the students from 67% in the first trimester to 93% in the third trimester. The majority of the surveyed students (79.6%) found the Schoolbook to be constructive and helpful. 8.1% did not have any opinion, and only 12.3% found it to not be helpful. The instructors also found this web-based training program to be both constructive and practical, and were able to utilize its multimedia components to complement their lectures. Overall, our experience with this computer-aided learning program demonstrated that web-based technologies can improve the quality of medical education, benefiting both the students and the instructors.

Development and Evaluation of an Online Computer-Aided Learning (CAL) Package to Promote Small-Animal Welfare

The aims of the study, conducted as a student research project in the 2004-5 session, were to develop an interactive, online computer-aided learning (CAL) package on the topic of small-animal husbandry; to validate the resource as a suitable lecture replacement for first-year veterinary students; and to raise awareness of current guidelines and legislation relating to small-animal housing among local catteries and kennels and in the wider community. Quantitative feedback was collected from student and teaching staff using paper-based questionnaires. Qualitative feedback was gathered from open questionnaire responses and through focus-group discussions with students. Student examination marks were compared for 2004 and 2005, allowing a comparison of student performance before and after the replacement of the traditional lecture with the CAL package. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the faculty's Ethics Committee. The CAL package on small-animal housing was well received by teaching staff and students; student performance in examinations improved after the introduction of the CAL program, suggesting that it provides a suitable alternative to didactic teaching. The creation and distribution of the CAL package on CD-ROM and its availability via the Internet are intended to contribute to small-animal welfare education in local catteries and kennels and further afield. The package sets a precedent for the development of more Internet-based, student-authored CAL packages in the future, providing additional resources for independent learning.

Do we need dissection in an integrated problem-based learning medical course? Perceptions of first- and second-year students

The introduction of a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum at the School of Medicine of the University of Melbourne has necessitated a reduction in the number of lectures and limited the use of dissection in teaching anatomy. In the new curriculum, students learn the anatomy of different body systems using PBL tutorials, practical classes, pre-dissected specimens, computer-aided learning multimedia and a few dissection classes. The aims of this study are: (1) to assess the views of first- and second-year medical students on the importance of dissection in learning about the anatomy, (2) to assess if students' views have been affected by demographic variables such as gender, academic background and being a local or an international student, and (3) to assess which educational tools helped them most in learning the anatomy and whether dissection sessions have helped them in better understanding anatomy. First- and second-year students enrolled in the medical course participated in this study. Students were asked to fill out a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data was analysed using Mann-Whitney's U test, Wilcoxon's signed-ranks or the calculation of the Chi-square value. The response rates were 89% for both first- and second-year students. Compared to second-year students, first-year students perceived dissection to be important for deep understanding of anatomy (P < 0.001), making learning interesting (P < 0.001) and introducing them to emergency procedures (P < 0.001). Further, they preferred dissection over any other approach (P < 0.001). First-year students ranked dissection (44%), textbooks (23%), computer-aided learning (CAL), multimedia (10%), self-directed learning (6%) and lectures (5%) as the most valuable resources for learning anatomy, whereas second-year students found textbooks (38%), dissection (18%), pre-dissected specimens (11%), self-directed learning (9%), lectures (7%) and CAL programs (7%) as most useful. Neither of the groups showed a significant preference for pre-dissected specimens, CAL multimedia or lectures over dissection. Both first- and second-year students, regardless of their gender, academic background, or citizenship felt that the time devoted to dissection classes were not adequate. Students agreed that dissection deepened their understanding of anatomical structures, provided them with a three-dimensional perspective of structures and helped them recall what they learnt. Although their perception about the importance of dissection changed as they progressed in the course, good anatomy textbooks were perceived as an excellent resource for learning anatomy. Interestingly, innovations used in teaching anatomy, such as interactive multimedia resources, have not replaced students' perceptions about the importance of dissection.

Computer-Aided Learning and Assessment for Spreadsheet Modelling of Critical Path Analysis

In many universities, courses in quantitative methods for business are provided for students from a variety of disciplines. Student numbers on these courses can be very large and, for such non-specialist courses, there can be a wide range of student ability. The purpose of this study was to develop computer-aided learning and assessment programs which overcome the difficulties of teaching a very large group of mixed ability students and provide a fast, error-free and consistent method of marking. It is intended to provide a more satisfactory experience for students, who can vary their practice time to suit their own individual needs, and also to save a lot of time for lecturers in setting and marking assignments. The specific aim of this study was to develop a modelling task for such a group that would be less mechanistic than the network analysis tasks previously reported. Thus, students are required to construct a complete spreadsheet model for a critical path network, starting from a table of predecessors. The model has to be constructed with formulae so as to enable experimentation and sensitivity analysis in traditional operations research style. A program has been developed which generates an apparently endless sequence of different tables of predecessors, then checks for mistakes in the students' formulae as well as identifying poor presentation such as unnecessary crossing or right-to-left pointing arrows. Two forms of the program are available. The first provides feedback to the students so that they can learn how to construct the model. The second provides no feedback, but prints some coded information to assist lecturers with marking. There is also a spreadsheet tutorial for the students to help them get started. The program has been used with great success by a group of 351 students, who reported that the approach was not only more effective than traditional pencil-and-paper approaches to learning, but was fun to use as well.

The effectiveness of computer-aided learning in teaching orthodontics: A review of the literature

The purposes of this review were to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-aided learning (CAL) in orthodontic education, to make evidence-based recommendations for the use of CAL in orthodontics, and to develop guidelines for conducting comparative trials to evaluate CAL as a mode of learning in orthodontic education. Medline, the Cochrane Library Database, ERIC, CINAHL, LISA, Psycinfo, and IPA were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of CAL in orthodontics. Outcome measures included objectively measured posttest scores on multiple choice, written, or oral tests; performance on a clinical procedure or clinical interview; time spent on CAL programs to learn the material presented; and responses to questionnaires conveying participants' attitudes toward various modes of learning. Four randomized controlled trials comparing CAL with conventional teaching fulfilled the inclusion criteria and met the cutoff quality assessment checklist (QAC) score of > or = 8. Each study was assessed for quality by 2 independent reviewers. The validity and strength of the selected studies were assessed by using a QAC for an educational intervention. The controlled trials of CAL in orthodontics that met our QAC cutoff score of 8 were split, with 2 showing that CAL enjoyed a significant advantage over conventional teaching, 1 showing no difference, and 1 showing that the conventional tutorial method was better. More high-quality trials evaluating the effectiveness of CAL in orthodontics are needed. CAL programs in orthodontics elicit mostly positive responses and attitudes from students toward learning.

Computer Aided Learning Versus Standard Lecture for Undergraduate Education in Urology

The current model of undergraduate medical education is under debate since knowledge retention and student interest seem to be decreasing. To clarify this situation we developed and evaluated a computer aided learning program using a multimedia presentation about prostate cancer for undergraduate teaching in urology. A total of 60 medical students from years 2 and 3 were divided into group 1-31 who used the multimedia program and group 2-29 who attended a standard lecture on the same subject. At the end the level of knowledge acquisition for the 2 groups was evaluated by a multiple choice test. Group 1 students also answered a questionnaire about subjective feelings on computer based teaching. Test performance in groups 1 and 2 was similar (60% vs 62% correct answers, p >0.05). On the other hand, 23 of 31 students using the multimedia program believed that it did not adequately replace the instructor and interaction with a mentor still seems to be relevant. According to this study computers and multimedia programs can be used for undergraduate education in urology, providing that direct contact with an instructor is concomitantly offered to students.

The Effectiveness of Computer‐Aided, Self‐Instructional Programs in Dental Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Computer-aided learning (CAL), self-instructional programs provide an accessible, interactive, and flexible way of presenting curriculum material. In order to assess the effectiveness of CAL programs in dental education, a systematic review of the published literature comparing CAL with other teaching methods was performed. A systematic search of the published literature was performed. Articles formally assessed for inclusion had to meet the following criteria: randomized controlled trials comparing CAL with any other method of instruction, and the use of academically homogeneous dental students or dental professionals with objective, predefined outcome criteria measuring performance, time spent, and attitudes. The searches located a total of 1,042 articles; of these, only twenty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Further quality assessment identified twelve studies that were included in the final review. Five of the studies documented statistically significant differences in outcome measures (scores on multiple choice, written or oral tests, and clinical performance) favoring CAL over comparison group(s), while six revealed no statistically significant differences. One study documented a greater improvement in test scores in the seminar group over the CAL group. Participants' attitudes towards CAL in the included studies are also discussed. Our study concluded that CAL is as effective as other methods of teaching and can be used as an adjunct to traditional education or as a means of self-instruction.

CD-ROM Review

Pulp Fiction–The Diagnosis and Management of Pulpal and Periapical Conditions (Computer Aided Learning Program). The Dental Channel Ltd., 310 Crystal Palace Road, London, SE22 9JJ, 2001. (Available FOC to dentists practising within the General Dental Services).

Learning tool or potplant stand? Students' opinions of learning from a CAL program in a distance education context

&lt;span&gt;Although teaching institutions are continually moving towards electronic forms of delivering learning material, a study of first year adult distance chemistry students found that they had developed a successful learning profile based on their present printed learning material and were reluctant to consider the use of alternative methods of delivery. The reasons for this reluctance were explored by developing a Computer Aided Learning program, based on the students existing learning strategies, and offering it as an alternative to printed material. Although many volunteered to use the program only a third of these persevered with its use. Reasons for abandoning the program were generally associated with a fear that they may be wasting their time in having to learn a new method of study. However those that did use the computer program considered it to be a more efficient way of learning than from printed material.&lt;/span&gt;

Evaluation of a computer-aided learning program in removable partial denture framework designing.

Assessment of a computer-assisted learning (CAL) program dealing with designing removable partial dentures was performed as both formative and summative evaluation. Formative evaluation was obtained through open-ended questions in a written questionnaire administered to 60 junior students from two Australian Dental Schools and through observation of four groups of these students as they worked through the program. Formative evaluation, fundamental to completion of the program, led to several changes and additions. Observation of the students using the program during its final stages of development was one of the most informative and helpful parts of the evaluation. It allowed nuances of expression and body language to be noted that would not have been apparent in written or numerical data. Summative evaluation was obtained through structured questions in the questionnaire and through a post-CAL test under examination conditions. Summative assessment showed that students could attain a desired standard of knowledge if a lecture series was replaced by the CAL program; that the program was user-friendly, even for students with little or no computer experience; and that most students considered it to be a useful learning resource. More than half the students were concerned about using CAL to replace human instruction. It is significant that students were particularly impressed by aspects of the program that could not be duplicated by a book; the interactive nature of the learning process and the ability to rotate the diagnostic casts. This highlights the need for CAL programs to use the full potential of computer capability, rather than merely replicate a textbook on a screen.

Spilling the beans on java 3D: a tool for the virtual anatomist.

The computing world has just provided the anatomist with another tool: Java 3D, within the Java 2 platform. On December 9, 1998, Sun Microsystems released Java 2. Java 3D classes are now included in the jar (Java Archive) archives of the extensions directory of Java 2. Java 3D is also a part of the Java Media Suite of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). But what is Java? How does Java 3D work? How do you view Java 3D objects? A brief introduction to the concepts of Java and object-oriented programming is provided. Also, there is a short description of the tools of Java 3D and of the Java 3D viewer. Thus, the virtual anatomist has another set of computer tools to use for modeling various aspects of anatomy, such as embryological development. Also, the virtual anatomist will be able to assist the surgeon with virtual surgery using the tools found in Java 3D. Java 3D will be able to fulfill gaps, such as the lack of platform independence, interactivity, and manipulability of 3D images, currently existing in many anatomical computer-aided learning programs.

Spilling the beans on Java 3D: A tool for the virtual anatomist

The computing world has just provided the anatomist with another tool: Java 3D, within the Java 2 platform. On December 9, 1998, Sun Microsystems released Java 2. Java 3D classes are now included in the jar (Java Archive) archives of the extensions directory of Java 2. Java 3D is also a part of the Java Media Suite of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). But what is Java? How does Java 3D work? How do you view Java 3D objects? A brief introduction to the concepts of Java and object-oriented programming is provided. Also, there is a short description of the tools of Java 3D and of the Java 3D viewer. Thus, the virtual anatomist has another set of computer tools to use for modeling various aspects of anatomy, such as embryological development. Also, the virtual anatomist will be able to assist the surgeon with virtual surgery using the tools found in Java 3D. Java 3D will be able to fulfill gaps, such as the lack of platform independence, interactivity, and manipulability of 3D images, currently existing in many anatomical computer-aided learning programs. Anat. Rec. (New Anat.): 257:73–79, 1999. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A Computer-Aided Learning Program for Teaching Effective Stress to Undergraduates

A Computer-Aided Learning (CAL) program has been developed as a support aid for students learning the principle of effective stress and its application. The program called ESP (Effective Stress Program) has evolved over a period of two years as a result of research into student learning. This paper discusses the development, use and evaluation of the latest version of the program ESP98. ESP98 is shown to be an effective support tool by outperforming the conventional methods of instruction. The key to the success of ESP98 is the high level of interaction which students experience. The nature of the interaction is centred on a mistake-induced dialogue where the student is provided with progressive and instant feedback and guided towards the final answer. ESP has been integrated into the curriculum at Heriot-Watt University for the past two years and is freely available for use by other teaching institutions by contacting the authors.

An interactive multimedia solution to learning removable partial denture design.

Surveys of the dental profession and dental laboratories show that up to 60% of cases received by laboratories have little or no input from dentists into the design of their patients' removable partial dentures (RPD). Thus, there is a clear mandate for dental schools to teach RPD design in new ways that will give their students confidence and allow their graduates to approach the task readily and easily. This computer-aided learning program addresses that need. In designing it, we have exploited the unique properties of computers as a learning tool. The program uses Quicktime VR to simulate a three-dimensional perspective of diagnostic casts. It is also possible to incorporate animated diagrams to illustrate various points. Control of timed answers promotes the use of inquiry-based learning and allows the program to be interactive and completely problem-oriented. Students can practice at their own pace, on a variety of virtual cases, and thus learn the craft behind the art of designing RPDs. With this foundation, discussions with experts in the field regarding the patients they treat in senior years and as graduates can be conducted at a higher and more productive level. Student evaluation so far has been very encouraging.

Clinical case-based multimedia tutorials as a solution to some problems facing medical education

Medical education faces many challenges as curricula become crowded and teacher numbers fall. In addition, there are moves to reduce factual overload and to concentrate more on pathophysiological principles illustrated by relevant clinical cases. We describe one means of addressing these problems, using computer-aided learning programs which are based on clinical cases, are interactive and which incorporate multimedia elements. These CD-ROM programs include student assessments, a resource of background material and support self-managed and distance learning.

A graphics based computer-aided learning package for integer programming: The branch and bound algorithm

In this paper, we discuss a graphics based computer-aided learning program INTEGER for understanding the Branch and Bound algorithm for solving integer programming problems. It presents the algorithm step by step, by developing the solution tree in an interactive mode. It relieves the user from the computational aspects and thereby provides a better insight into the solution methodology. Powerful screen management routines and appropriate data structures permit the users to scan any part of the solution tree at any stage of the analysis, and to view the linear programming formulation at any desired node of the solution tree. The interactive nature of INTEGER has made it more usable than other popular programs—it demonstrated a superiority over another program, LINDO. in enabling students to understand the methodology and made a great impact on classroom teaching for MBA and Executive Development Program participants in India and Singapore.