Bilgisayar Destekli Eğitim ve Bilgisayar Destekli Öğretim

COMPUTER AIDED EDUCATION (CAE) AND COMPUTER AIDED LEARNING (CAL)

Undoubtedly, the most important tool used in educational activities today is the computer. With the use of computers as a teaching-learning tool in education and training activities, the concepts of "Computer Aided Education (CAE) and Instruction (CAI)" have emerged. Before looking at what CAE is not, it is necessary to examine what CAE is. 

What is CAE? 

It is a teaching method that consists of the combination of the principles of self-learning with computer technology, where the computer is used as an environment where learning occurs, strengthens the teaching process and student motivation, the student can benefit according to his own learning speed. In its shortest definition, we can say that Computer Aided Education (CAE) is the transfer of instructional content or activities via computers. 

In other words, it can be defined as activities in which students interact with the lessons programmed on the computer during the education process, where the teacher plays the role of guide and the computer plays the role of environment.

What is CAE Not? 

- Many useful computer applications used in Education are not considered as CAL applications. 

- They are not word processing programs for teachers and students to prepare reports or homework. It is not the use of a database program to organize and store records. 

- It is not the use of spreadsheets to hold numerical information, calculate or create graphics. 

- It is not the preparation of presentations by transparency or computer through presentation programs. 

What are the benefits of CAE ? 

1. Increases the quality and effectiveness of teaching.

2. Research, teaching etc. saves time in organizing activities

3. Increases the attractiveness of the lessons.

4. Provides easy access to a large number of students with different prior knowledge.

5. Increases access opportunities by presenting content in different formats. 

6. Creates a flexible learning environment .

7. It helps us keep up with new technological developments.

What is CAL?

Students recognize their deficiencies and performance through mutual interaction, and take control of their own learning by receiving feedback; "Computer Assisted LEARNING " is the method of using computers in the education and training process in order to make them more relevant to the lesson through graphics, sound, animation and figures. 

According to Uşun (2000), CAL; It is a teaching method that consists of the combination of the principles of self-learning with computer technology, in which the computer is used as an environment where learning occurs in teaching, accelerates the teaching process, strengthens student motivation, the student can benefit at his own pace. 

Based on these definitions, we can briefly define CAL as creating a learning environment by taking advantage of computer technology to realize effective and permanent learning and teaching activities carried out in this environment. 

Various factors such as physical infrastructure, student motivation, student interest in computer, individual differences in learning, learning styles, teacher's perspective on teaching methods and techniques, knowledge and skills, and changing role are effective in the CAL process. 

In computer-assisted teaching, it is essential that the computer enters the teaching process as a complementary reinforcing tool, not as an option to replace the teacher.

What are the benefits of CAL ?

Computer assisted teaching has many benefits: 

1. Provides fast access to information. 

2. Provides easy data transfer and saves time.

3. It is visual. 

4. It is an excellent aid in describing events that cannot be expressed in words. 

5. It enables some subjects to be transferred more enjoyable by playing educational games. 

6. It enables students to reveal their individual talents. 

7. It acts as a pioneer on the road to success. 

8. It opens up new horizons. 

9. It allows group work to be done more successfully and actively. 

10. By preventing ordinary education, it ensures that education is not just a blackboard. 

11. Since it provides education by seeing and applying it, it ensures that the learned knowledge is forgotten. 

12. Prevents rote learning in education. 

13. It enables the use of a great blessing like the Internet. 

14. People can follow their lessons and exams without leaving their homes. 

15. It enables students all over the world to access the same information. 

16. Thanks to the data storage facility, students can easily access the topics that the teacher has covered before. 

17. Provides storage of students' information and provides quick access to information when needed. 

18. It increases students' self-confidence. 

19. Makes self-learning possible. 

20. Allows homework to be prepared and distributed online.