An Innovative Application of the Macintosh Classic II Computer for Distance Education

Abstract

The present article describes an innovative application of microcomputers to provide instruction simultaneously to graduate students on campus and to a group of doctoral students located 100 miles from campus. Using Macintosh Classic II computers and supporting equipment, both groups were taught a two-course sequence on statistical methods over two ten-week quarters. Evaluative data indicated similar academic achievement in both groups and comparable performance to previous sections of the course. Student attitudes were mixed, with students on-campus being more critical of the approach than students off-campus. The instructional approach appears to provide a viable alternative solution to a difficult problem for distance education. The use of Macintosh Classic II computers to facilitate instruction over long distance provides an acceptable compromise between extensive travel by either students or an instructor.