Computer in the School: Tutor, Tool, Tutee

The computer as a tool in instructional computing: Students as software architects

“…Several authors have argued for the importance of having computer users learn to program, but most of the presumed benefits for students have been described by Taylor (1980) and by Collyer (1984). For example, Taylor distinguished between three "modes" of instructional use for computers: the computer as tutor, as tool, and as tutee.…”

“…The advantageof programming suggested by both Taylor (1980) and Collyer (1984) is that a student can learn quite a lot about the task or course-eontent problem by trying to get the computer to accomplish it or solve it. We can grant the validity of this claim; that is not where the problem lies.…”

“…One often hears of the introduction or use of computers in courses through the useof prewritten courseware packages (e.g., Castellan, 1983;Collyer, 1984), statistical analysis packages (e.g., MiniTab, SAS, SPSS x , and BMDP), or programming exercises (e.g., Collyer, 1984;Taylor, 1980). There is, however, another alternative: application programs that convert the computer into a usefultool.…”

“…The Benefits of Programming Taylor (1980) argued that it is the role of the computer as tutee that offers the greatest long-range educational benefits. He gave three reasons for this conclusion.…”

Using Computer Assisted Language Learning In TeachingEnglish Language at Elementary Schools in Gaza Governorate

“…The latter are usually characterized by a certain degree of technophobia ,which makes them believe that computers bring more complications than benefits to the EFL classroom. (Kiraki Spanou, 2007).A framework that can specify the role of CALL in the teaching process has originally been proposed by Taylor (1980),who asserts that the computer can assume three different roles , namely those of a tutor , a tool and a tutee. Levy(1997) elaborated on this framework focusing mainly on the roles of tutor and tool ,or what he calls "tutor-tool framework".In the tutor role, as the term denotes, the computer attempts to take over the role of the teacher ,which makes it deal for self-access learning or, generally, whenever the presence of the teacher is not available .As a result, the computer takes on the difficult task of providing the learner with the right kind of guidance , feedback and help when required acco9rding to the methodology that was followed when the program was originally designed.…”