The use of CAI to enhance human interaction in the learning of deductive proof construction

Abstract

It is unfortunate that most forms of CAI either decrease or replace student-teacher interaction and rarely promote student-student interaction in a deliberate fashion. The project described here, however, aims at improving human interaction in a deductive logic course via the use of a proof-checking computer program. This program supports analyses of student performance which guide in-class instruction on a real-time basis. It is a widely held belief that individualization promotes effectiveness in teaching and that CAI promotes individualization. Some questions are raised about these beliefs, and the conclusion drawn is that the prospects for a computer technology that enhances rather than diminishes human interaction should be more vigorously explored. Ultimately, the efforts reported here are intended to show that the use of computers in education need not constitute a form of separating teachers from their students, but rather can provide information concerning student needs and can supply opportunities for addressing those needs both within and outside the classroom.