Computers In Teaching Initiative Research Articles

FOCUS on technology-supported learning in further education

The Dearing Report of 1997 has raised the profile of the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in learning and teaching. This in turn has led to a demand for staff development on the successful incorporation of ICT in education (Smith and Oliver, 2000). In HE, there have been a number of targeted funding initiatives such as the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) and the current third phase of the Teaching and Learning Technology Programme. This latter programme focuses on embedding learning technologies rather than developing software products, leading to generic projects on the implementation of ICT in education. As these projects aim for cross-institutional transferability, there seems no reason why - although carried out in the context of HE - they should not be widened to address the needs of the FE sector.DOI:10.1080/0968776000080309

Internet and the support of psychology education

The Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) Centre for Psychology has been promoting the use of computers in psychology education for the last 5 years. The advent of the Internet and ubiquitous access to the World-Wide Web has the potential to revolutionize the way the teaching and learning of psychology can be supported. This paper describes how we are using the Web to support psychology education through information dissemination, through the provision of teaching resources, and through facilities for communication.

Investigating the computers in teaching initiative (CTI) WWW services

Investigating the computers in teaching initiative (CTI) WWW services

Psychology: The Use of Educational Technology in U.K. Psychology Departments

This paper reviews the use of educational technology within United Kingdom university psychology departments based on the experience of a national support center, the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) Centre for Psychology. First we describe the background and work of the center. This is followed by presentation and discussion of the results of a major survey to assess both current usage and the factors that enable or inhibit use of educational technology within psychology. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and potential use of computers within the teaching of psychology. Keywords: psychology, computers, United Kingdom, educational technology, teaching.

A research student's view of the CTILIS workshop, April 1993

The Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) is a programme funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils of the UK with, as its name implies, the purpose of encouraging wider use of computer‐aided methods in university teaching. There are a number of centres which have been set up to disseminate information about the available training packages in specific subject areas. The Centre at Loughborough is concerned with the field of Library and Information Studies (LIS) and is known as CTILIS (Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for Library and Information Studies).

Computers in teaching and learning in U.K. higher education

In this special issue of Computers & Education the U.K. Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) brings its unique perspective to bear on computers in teaching and learning in Higher Education. The present phase of the CTI has built on a number of earlier national initiatives including NDPCAL and the project phase of the CTI. 20 discipline-based CTI Centres are currently providing a range of information and support services. During the 1980s a number of universities established Computer-based Learning Units or Computer Literacy Programmes but their impact has in general been slight. In comparison with other countries the British universities are well resourced with equipment for student use, but support staff are thin on the ground and there are no U.K. equivalents of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Project Athena or of Project Andrew at Carnegie-Mellon University. Various classifications of CAL are examined as an introduction to the diversity of approaches detailed in subsequent papers. The effects of CAL on learning efficiency, teaching efficiency and flexibility are examined.

Using computers in university teaching: A perspective on key issues

We briefly examine the impact and achievement of the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) as a major national programme to foster the effective use of computers in teaching in U.K. universities over the last 4 years. The paper then addresses the challenges which have faced those seeking to exploit the potential of information technology in teaching and learning, and shows how the newly launched CTI subject centres will attempt to palliate the specific problem of accessing information on how to get started in this field. Finally, we review the importance of an appreciation of social and managerial factors in examining the development of educational computing in U.K. universities.

Integrating computers into the university curriculum: The experience of the U.K. Computers in Teaching Initiative

The role of computers in university-level research activities has been established for two decades. But advances in microprocessor technology coupled with developments in local area networking are opening up a new dimension to university computing, with computers entering the classroom and lecture theatre as routine pedagogic aids. In the United Kingdom, the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI) is a national programme designed to promote a greater awareness of the scope of computer assisted teaching in universities. 135 demonstration projects have been established around the country, including one in almost every academic discipline. Projects are usually based in a single university department, and funding is typically about £80,000 spread over two years. This paper draws extensively on the experiences of CTI projects to explore the new opportunities presented by the use of computers in university teaching, and the difficulties and challenges that have yet to be surmounted if we are to utilise effectively the new technology. The UK experience indicates that the most effective use of computers in university teaching goes far beyond the simple acquisition and testing of “knowledge”. Many CTI projects are using computers to enhance other areas of the cognitive domain, using simulation and modelling techniques to promote appreciation, understanding, and synthesis.