Automated Instruction of Flanders Interaction Analysis

A series of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) lessons were written for use by students enrolled in a methods course in social studies education at the University of Iowa. Lessons provide instruction in the Flanders Interaction Analysis method which makes classroom verbal communication more effective. An interaction module was designed to help prospective teachers examine their own classroom behavior in terms of factors such as how much they talk versus student participation in discussion. Both authoritative and permissive behavior were explored. Lessons were written using the Instructional Dialogue Facility (IDF) on a Hewlett Packard 2000. An experiment compared the CAI method with traditional instruction. The results indicated that the CAI module proved to be the most effective. (Author/DS)