关于计算机辅助教学成本与获益的思考

Reflections on the Cost and Benefit of Computer Assisted Instruction

通过对计算机辅助教学(CAI)提出适当的成本方法,并将其应用于CAI,同时,探讨四种普遍假设的有效性,来检验什么是计算机辅助教学的成本和成本效益。这些假设是:(1)计算机硬件占交付CAI的大部分成本;(2)计算机未来成本的急剧下降将在CAI中产生类似的减少;(3)用于CAI的微型计算机网络比具有类似能力的小型计算机成本更低;(4)CAI被发现比其他教学方案更具成本效益。前三个假设与可用证据直接矛盾。关于提高学生数学和阅读成绩的成本效益,CAI被认为比减少班级规模、增加学校日的长短或成人辅导更具成本效益,但远低于同伴辅导的成本效益。

The purpose of this paper is to propose appropriate cost methods for computer assisted instruction(CAI),and to apply it to CAI,and to explore the effectiveness of the four universal assumptions to test what is the cost and cost-effectiveness of computer assisted instruction(CAI).These assumptions are:(1)computer hardware accounts for most of the cost of delivering CAI;(2)a sharp decline in the future cost of the computer will produce a similar reduction in the CAI.(3)a microcomputer network used for CAI is cheaper than a minicomputer with a similar ability;(4)CAI is found to be more cost-effective than other teaching schemes.The first three assumptions are directly inconsistent with the available evidence.With regard to improving the cost-effectiveness of students'math and reading performance,CAI is thought to be more cost-effective than reducing class size,increasing school days,or adult guidance,but far less than the cost-effectiveness of peer guidance.