[comp.edu] Authoring System wanted.

mareb@levels.sait.edu.au (01/18/91)

I'm looking for an Authoring System which I can use to develop
some CAI (or CBT or CML - pick which you like) for computing
students. There seem to be a number of commercial products
available for PCs (IBM and Macs) and a few for UNIX. None of
the ones I've seen seem to do what I want (but I haven't seen them all).

The features I would like include:

	1. student can be provided with (apparently) normal
	   access to the system they are learning to use.

	2. All student responses may be recorded (for statistical
	   purposes) so the teaching material can be properly
	   monitored and reviewed.

	3. Flexible sequencing: e.g. choice of lesson material
	   presented to a particular student might be based on
	   that students interests, current level of achievement
	   in this topic, ...

I would like the software to run on UNIX - I might settle for IBM PCs
if enough of what I want is present.

Ideally, source code would be preferable. This would allow me to
add the things that are missing, fix bugs (and features) and perhaps
port it to my environment. Preferred languages include C, C++, Pascal
(but not TurboPascal), Modula-x, ... (not BASIC, FORTRAN or COBOL).

Commercial packages could be considered if the price were low enough
e.g. <$1000 + max. $100 per student, and enough of the above were
included.

If you have any experience of suitable products, I'd love to hear your
comments.

		Bob Buckley
		Lecturer, Computer Studies.