Design and Trial of a Computer-Assisted Lesson in Rhythm

For this study, a computer-assisted lesson for teaching selected behaviors that are related to the area of rhythm perception was designed and programed for students majoring in elementary education. The lesson's effects on students were then determined by testing the lesson with subjects from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The investigator used the computer-based Education Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois to design and program the lesson, set it into operational form, and test it. The TUTOR language and PLATO III system were used, consisting of a keyset, cathode-ray tube, and random-access slide selector. Also used was a random-access audio device designed for the PLATO IV.

Two program objectives were stated for the CAI lesson, called RHYTHM: (1) The student can demonstrate a knowledge of the function of basic rhythmic notation, and (2) the student can demonstrate a knowledge of the relation of rhythmic notation to aural rhythmic patterns. During the two-week experimental program, data were collected by the computer and printed out, then analyzed and reported. The data included: (1) total time spent and amount of program covered, (2) amount of time on each main routine, (3) number of tries and OK or NO responses from the computer, and (4) special keys pressed within an exercise problem. At the end of each lesson session, the investigator interviewed individual students to find out their opinions of the enjoyable and frustrating aspects of the CAI lesson. Participating students generally felt that the lesson was enjoyable and valuable. They especially valued PLATO'S ability to feedback and to define a task, demand input, and quickly judge input. As a whole, students felt they had learned the basic behaviors related to notation encountered in the lesson. Most students felt that certain messages of the audio output were transmitted poorly.