SEMI-INTELLIGENT COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION MODEL (CAI, CBE (COMPUTER-BASED EDUCATION), CAL (COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEARNING), CBI (COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTION))

Different approaches have controlled the use of computers as an instructional tool. Among those approaches are the traditional Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) approach; the LOGO philosophy; and the Intelligent Computer Assisted Instruction (ICAI) systems. Each of these approaches has its own strengths and weaknesses. This study introduces a new approach by providing a new model that can be used to construct educational software. The new model, Semi-Intelligent Computer Assisted Instruction, uses some of the strengths of the existing approaches and compromises on others to remedy the more crippling weaknesses. The major goal was to construct more intelligent programs than the traditional ones, while keeping the construction process as less expensive than that of ICAI programs. An example of how a SICAI model would direct the construction of an educational program (teaching how to solve a quadratic equation) was included in this study. The program was written and tested with a sample of fifty users. Then a statistical analysis was performed. The statistical analysis tested the null hypothesis that the program did not improve the ability of its users in solving quadratic equations; also introduced was a method of using a statistical analysis of the program to indicate changes to be done to improve the program. The program improved significantly the performance of its users; most of the objectives set up for the SICAI model were fulfilled. Also the method for analyzing the performance of the program to suggest changes for improving it was suitable and successful.