Self-instructional modules: Their development and use by user services

ABSTRACT

User Services organizations are charged with educating large numbers of users, with staffs that are often too small to meet ever-increasing demands. Two extremes in methods of educating users can be observed: 1) traditional short courses which are typically lectures and demonstrations; and 2) sophisticated audio/visual techniques or computer-aided instruction (CAI). A middle ground can be found for those user services groups who are frustrated by the time and effort involved in teaching short courses, but who do not have the money, staff, or inclination to develop CAI programs or videotapes. One such alternative is a series of written self-instructional modules, each of which includes discussion of basic computing concepts and “hands-on” practice using computer equipment. The modules have at least three applications: 1) they can supplement or replace lecture/demonstration-type short courses; 2) they can be distributed to faculty members who in turn can use them to teach computing concepts in academic classes; and 3) subsets of the module series can be packaged as user's guides for particular groups of users (e.g. PSS users, FORTRAN programmers), with the hope that such materials would help reduce the load on consultants.

References

1. 1.Abedor, Allan J., A Handbook for the Design, Production and Evaluation of Self-Instructional Modules, Michigan State University, 1978, page 1.
2. 2.Abedor, Allan J., Handbook on Improving Lecture and Course Design, Michigan State University, 1979, page 3.
3. 3.Ibid., pages 48-51.
4. 4.Knuth, Donald E., TEX, a System for Technical Text, American Mathematical Society, 1979, page 2.
5. 5.Abedor, Handbook on Improving Lecture and Course Design, page 60.

Index Terms

• Applied computing

  • Education

    • Computer-assisted instruction

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Computing education

    • Management of computing and information systems