Abstract
The era of microprocessors provides an opportunity for examination and restructuring of university-level education in psychology. Computers may aid in the development of environments based upon sustained and deepening inquiry on the part of students from their earliest contact with psychology. We have been developing a computerized system for the exercise of skills in psychological inquiry appropriate both as a teaching tool for beginning undergraduates and for the research of permanent and visiting professors. In this paper we discuss our philosophy, some aspects of the organizational and human factors problems involved, and issues of hardware and software design.
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The research described here was fostered by a series of grants from the National Science Foundation for the development and support of these facilities. Additional support came from the Advanced Research Projects agency of the Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, and Office of Education. The unique characteristics of our cognitive laboratory computer facility has been shaped by 10 years of faculty, graduate student, and undergraduate student involvement. Much of the initial design of the hardware is due to Steven Boies, now of IBM; much of the software design is due to Nancy Frost, now at the Upjohn Corporation, and to John Sharp. We are grateful to those who have worked on the development of our facilities. The educational views and philosophy outlined in this paper remain our own, however. Information on our facility, reprints, and other information are available from: Cognitive Laboratory, Department of Psychonology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403.
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Posner, M.I., Osgood, G.W. Computers in the training of inquiry. Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation 12, 87–95 (1980). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03201581
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03201581