CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training1 Computer Based Training CSE5900: Introduction to Multimedia Computing Lecture 11 Dan Eaves

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training2

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training3 Many Names Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) Computer Based Training (CBT) Computer Based Teaching (CBT) Web Based Training (WBT) Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) Computer Based Education (CBE) Etc. Note: This industry is much larger than the game industry

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training4 Many Levels of Application Rote Learning Simulations at various levels Presentations Quasi-sales materials (how to use tools provided) Corporate culture/indoctrination Learning enrichment Tool tutorials (e.g., WebTeacher) Lecture replacement Self-Directed exploration Etc., etc.

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training5 Why? Money –Teaching Is highly labour intensive Requires extensive facilities Demands personal attendance Skilled teachers are frequently replaced with inexpensive tutors Quality –Teaching Is hard to assess Isn’t usually customised (one size suits all) Varies day by day and teacher by teacher Cannot be gradually and steadily improved

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training6 CSE5900 – Year 1 Budget Income 60 $2,000 ea. = $120,000 TOTAL INCOME: $120,000 Expenditure –1 $100,000/year, 4 subjects = $25,000 –1 examiner, 200 $26/hours = $5,000 –University overheads, 25%, = $30,000 –TOTAL EXPENDITURES= $60,000 Gross Income –$60,000

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training7 CSE5900 – Year 2 Budget Income 60 $2,000 ea. = $120,000 TOTAL INCOME: $120,000 Expenditure –1 $100,000/year, 4 subjects = $25,000 –1 examiner, 200 $26/hours = $5,000 –University overheads, 25%, = $30,000 –TOTAL EXPENDITURES= $60,000 Gross Income –$60,000

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training8 Hummmm…… It’s year 2 (and 3 and 4 and 5…) that will kill you, it’s still $1,000 per student per unit (and the gross profit has to pay for lots of things, like smaller subjects – those fixed costs of about $50,000 are not class size specific!) Note: Sometimes an academic is given a load reduction to initially create a new subject, sometimes not. Subject contents are legally owned by the academic

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training9 Further….. How do we improve subjects? How do we reproduce the skilled teachers? How do we increase the ‘hands-on’ learning? –(The weekly assignments of 5900 are unusual, and are my conscious attempt to do so.) How long can the traditional approach last –(10 years ago, cheap undergraduate mass subjects funded small postgraduate education. No longer.)

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training10 Simple Reproduction Standard techniques –Lectures distributed via in-house video (real time) –TV Programs –Lectures on video or audio tape (off line) –Straight presentations on CD/DVD – well….. Are these better than nothing? –Of course –Especially if the instruction itself Requires massive lectures, so no interaction, or Must be provided on an occasional, ad hoc basis

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training11 But Doesn’t MM Support Alternatives? We can have all the alternative media mixed We can invest a large amount in developing the best courses (because such costs aren’t repeated) We can support –Interaction –Simulation –Customised paths through generic material –Self-paced learning –Exploration –Etc., etc., etc.

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training12 So, Why Hasn’t CBT Taken Over? The High Level Problem Three models are necessary: –How the problem domain works –How the student understands the problem domain –How to move the student from misunderstanding to understanding Let’s take teaching a simple loop structure: Do While Fred --- Loop For i = 1 to Next i

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training13 How Will We Teach This Using Multimedia? We have to build some models –A model of the thing being taught –A model of the student’s current understanding of the thing We then have to develop a strategy –Identify and correct student’s errors in understanding –Dynamically bring the student’s model into alignment with the correct model Or we can just support rote learning…..

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training14 The Lower Level There are many possible paths through any knowledge domain So it is time-consuming and very expensive to develop comprehensive material So rote learning proves to be much more useful? Why don’t games work as a model for MM CBT?

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training15 The Higher Level At some point, this requires serious AI The problem is deciding –What to teach next –How to teach it When these have to be determined by the student’s current model of the problem domain. We cannot build and store all possible student problem domain models – unless the domain is trivially simple – because of the combinatorial explosion So we have to develop models on the fly – hay, AI

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training16 The Problem of Language Either we –Map the student’s model from their answers Or –We ask them to explain what’s going on The second is obviously better, but NL processing keeps being proved to be too hard And, note, connectionist/neural network approaches don’t work in this context.

CSE5900Lecture 11: Multimedia and Computer Based Training17 Conclusion? Multimedia Computer Based Training (MM CBT) should still be limited to highly structured domains where rote learning is appropriate. (My job looks safe….)