PLATO Across the Curriculum: An Evaluation of a Project

Abstract

A limited time project introduced centralized computer‐based learning to a sample of 300 students and 18 members of staff situated in 11 departments at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The project sought to establish the extent to which a system such as PLATO could supplement existing teaching programmes, test student and staff reactions, encourage the development of computer literacy, and assess the feasibility of introducing a centralized mainframe computer‐based learning network into existing university structures. During four to five months of terminal usage, limited empirical and impressionistic evidence recorded in 13 project evaluations reported the development of positive attitudes among student and staff towards computer‐based learning. Individualized pacing of learning, possibilities for remedial action, reinforcement and immediacy of feedback were aspects of the system that promoted consistently favourable responses.