Computer-Assisted Instruction for Learning Developmental Sentence Scoring

An Experimental Comparison

The increasing availability of computer-assisted instruction is enabling both practicing clinicians and students in training to learn new analysis procedures or to relearn old ones. This study compared a classroom-based tutorial (CBT) method and a computer assisted instruction (CAI) method for learning a grammatical language analysis procedure, developmental sentence scoring (DSS). Subjects were 55 graduate students, who heard an introductory lecture and took a pretest, and were then randomly assigned to one of two groups. Students in the CBT group met with an instructor who provided explanations and corrective feedback for practice exercises for 5 weeks. Students in the CAI group used self-paced software to practice scoring the same practice exercises, with corrective feedback provided by the computer tutorial. Analysis of post-test scores revealed no significant differences between the CBT and CAI groups in scoring accuracy. Students in both groups performed at near-ceiling levels, regardless of pretest scores. This is good news for instructors who wish to devote class time to other critical language treatment issues but still wish their students to learn a valuable clinical procedure. Practicing clinicians who wish to learn DSS, or refresh DSS scoring skills learned earlier in preprofessional training programs, may also find the CAI method valuable.

Key Words: computer-assisted instruction (CAI), developmental sentence scoring (DSS), language assessment, education, continuing education

Submitted on March 16, 1993
Accepted on March 22, 1994

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