Planning and Developing an Interactive Computerised Tutorial for Learning in Higher Education

This paper describes how a researcher-lecturer in higher education attempted to identify, in her course, the constraints within which the teaching was required to operate. To better understand this particular problem area in her professional practice, it was necessary to take the student voice seriously and to suggest a possible solution to the problem. It appeared that the 'Information Technology' module on a specific postgraduate course was particularly unattractive to the postgraduate students required to take it. The solution proposed was to develop and introduce into the module a form of innovation in course development, namely a Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) tool entitled 'Interactive Computerised Information Technology Tutor' (ICITT). The research process leading to the planning, development and introduction of the ICITT is the initial focus of this paper. The ICITT itself is then described in some detail in the latter part of the work.