Alfred
Bork
Bork is a physics professor at the University
of California at Irvine where he has directed the Physics Computer
Development Project for a number of years. That project produces computer-based
material that can serve as the primary source from which first year
physics is learned at Irvine. Bork’s major interest is the application
of computing to physics instruction. His work strongly emphasizes
concept mastery, self-paced instruction, and computer-resident testing.
Though his work beautifully demonstrates
how computer / student dialogs can function and how graphics can be
carefully and integrally used to enhance these dialogs, he does not
argue that all instruction should be computerized, even in a subject
like physics. Bork sees stand-alone computers as the major vehicle
in the new generation of computer-assisted learning. He is also careful
to point out repeatedly that good software in any reasonable quantity
is more likely to be developed by software factories and institutes
than by individual professors, teachers, or researchers.
Thomas
Dwyer
Dwyer was a computer scientist and educator
at the University of Pittsburgh, who for a number of years ran a series
of projects involving high school and junior high school teachers
and students. The projects were characterized by an exploratory approach
to using computing, one which tended to depend upon and generate a
new way of looking at learning in the school, one which Dwyer himself
dubbed “Solo-Mode” learning. In such learning, the teacher
provides the framework but the pupil must work autonomously, learning
to “fly solo.” This mode Dwyer contrasted with the more
usual classroom situation that keeps the teacher in complete control
and has the student “flying dual.”
Dwyer’s work stressed a heuristic,
exploratory approach based on principle rather than a closed one based
upon a formula of what to do. He placed a heavy dependence upon the
teacher as a supportive human being, stressed that the teacher is
crucial, and addressed teacher education as a major concern of any
attempt to use computing broadly and creatively in schools. Though
much of the solo work dealt with math and physical science, Dwyer’s
work through solo and elsewhere also applied computing to other subjects,
including music.
Arthur
Luehrmann
Luehrmann is now associated with the
Lawrence Hall of Science at Berkeley, where he directs projects to
integrate computing into museum science exhibits to make them interactive,
and projects to teach computing to a broad, general public served
by the museum. Prior to going to Berkley, he was a professor at Dartmouth
and was involved in many successful projects there applying computing
to instruction.
As several of his article titles suggest,
his strongest emphasis is upon the computer as a new and fundamental
technology worthy of study on its own. He sees the mass impact of
this new technology as very substantial and stresses the need for
popular literacy, the need for everyone to acquire programming skills.
Though trained as a physicist, Luehrmann’s work has dealt with
applying computing in many instructional areas.
Seymour
Papert
A professor of mathematics and an educator
at M.I.T., Papert is best known for his development of the LOGO language
and its application to teaching computing and mathematics to young
children.His major thrust definitely is to teach a way of mathematical
thinking that young children can intuitively master.
By encouraging anthropomorphizing,
play and intuitive guesswork he tries to capitalize upon the existing
insights and mental frameworks of children. His strong attention to
how and what children are thinking is in part based upon his extended
association with Piaget in Switzerland. Papert’s work has been
exploratory, centering on children’s use of computing and emphasizing
almost exclusively the child learning to program. It has included
imaginative use of robots, graphics, and sound as a child-attractive
alternative to traditional textual output. Throughout, the computer
tends to be used to create a problem-rich environment, presenting
the child with interesting, challenging problems that require a computer
for solution.
Patrick
Suppes
Suppes is a philosophy and mathematics
professor at Stanford, where he pioneered the development of computer-assisted
instruction.
His work stressed the applicability
of the computer to skill areas such as mathematics, logic, and language.
It aimed to produce complete courses of instruction to be delivered
by the computer. He has always stressed how little we know about learning
but has carefully used what is available to design a considerable
quantity of computer-assisted instruction. Lastly, Suppes work stresses
individualized learning and increased educational productivity.
