Cbt Teaching Toolbox: A Mechanism For Collaborative Development Of Interactive Computer And Web Based Training

The "CBT" teaching toolbox is a dynamic forum for the planning, development, and dissemination of interactive computer and web based training. The toolbox web site serves as a resource of development tools, a repository of developed course content, and as a rendezvous for collaboration and interaction. The principle objective of the toolbox is to assist with the development and introduction of new pedagogical methods that allow for the teaching and integration of professional course related software into the engineering curriculum. Interactive computer based training (CBT) is used to accomplish this objective. The teaching toolbox facilitates the promotion of learner-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment-centered, and community-centered learning environments. Application of the toolbox tools has brought to light the importance of desegregating the learning environment to promote a higher level of learning. Each software application requires a significant investment of time for the instructor to teach and for the student to learn and apply. This extra burden on students is minimized through the effective use of CBT tools that can adapt to the student's instructional needs. The introduction of CBT tools into the curriculum brought with it the ability to impact other aspects of the course and student learning. The interactive movies, games, quizzes, virtual world, and other resources offered on the instructional web sites developed for each involved class focused on course fundamentals that are problematic for students. The additional assistance that students receive from these interactive tools can offset the cost of introducing engineering software into the curriculum but more significantly provides needed formative feedback and variety in the instructional environment. The teaching toolbox provides a mechanism for sharing the effort of creating and disseminating instructional content. The course specific content is designed to be adapted in part and in whole by instructors at other institutions who desire to use the developed resources without having to create content. The usefulness of the teaching toolbox as an aid to those, faculty and/or students involved in learning through teaching, who desire to create new content however should not be overlooked.