Resumen de Computerized Educational Delivery Strategies in Nine North American Colleges
This paper discusses high technology educational delivery systems in nine post‐secondary two‐year educational colleges—five in the western United States and four in Canada. Emphasis is on the use of computers to provide alternative delivery systems to traditional classroom teaching. The paper also reflects a natural overlap with open education and self‐paced (fleximode) learning, here defined as an approach to programmed computerized and traditional learning which permits a flexible mix of time, location and teaching strategies. The term ‘fleximode’ is used generically to include computer‐assisted learning (CAL), computer‐managed learning (CML), artificial intelligence (AI), teleconferencing and other educational delivery modes. Teachers can draw conclusions about the relative merits of the delivery systems discussed, their advantages and disadvantages, and the cost. The paper encourages educationalists to develop a clearer conceptual understanding of alternative delivery systems and their possible value to Australian education. For example, the paper discusses educational software capable of simulating laboratory and workshop situations, generating tests randomly from question banks and relieving teachers from many classroom management tasks. Although this paper refers to Australian or North American technical and further education, the views expressed are of relevance to educationalists generally.
