SOCRATES, an instructional design advisor program

摘要

SOCRATES, for Subject Outline Curriculum Resource And Tutoring Expert System, is a comprehensive CAI tutorial on how to write curriculum. This paper describes how SOCRATES assists subject matter experts in organizing and writing their lessons. The results, for the writer of the lessons, produce instructionally sound lessons; the student is tested on what has been taught, and knows that what is required for the course is included in the lessons. Based on a Gagne-Merrill approach to curriculum writing, SOCRATES places Merrill's Component Display Theory into Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction. The purpose is to assist subject matter experts (SEs) in organizing and writing their lessons. Through extensive use of examples, it coaches SEs through the development of a Performance Form Outline. Specifically, it helps the SE write performance objectives, subskills, an outline of how to teach each objective in the nine events (gain attention, state objectives, review prerequisite knowledges, rule or generality teaching, example teaching, example practice, rule or generality practice, testing and reinforcement, and retention and transfer), samples of behavior, and test questions. In addition. SOCRATES presents numerous suggestions on how to write a CAI lesson. The net effect is that SOCRATES helps a SE develop instructionally sound lessons that are tested at appropriate levels. The program represents a culmination of over two years of research, more than a year of programming, and review by some of the nation's best instructional designers.