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. . .The IBM 1500 System: Historical Perspectives |
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| Module #H3 | Last Updated: January ,(, /),( |
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. . .The IBM 1500 System: Historical Perspectives |
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"But what is it
good for?"
--Engineer at the Advanced
Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968,
commenting on the microchip.
Much of what we think we are discovering today has already been discovered by the early pioneers in Computer-Based Instruction (CBI). It is the thesis of this module that by studying some of this early history, we can progress farther and faster as we develop advanced CBI systems, and add a dash of humility.
An early CBI system, called the IBM 1500, was developed by IBM in the early 1960s, about 10 years after the first commercial computers appeared on the scene. IBM wanted to use this system to find out if computers could indeed be used to teach and train effectively, and to ascertain if there would be a commercial market for computer systems that provide instruction.
IBM adapted a minicomputer then currently used in business, the Model 1130, for instructional purposes by 1) writing an instructionally-oriented operating system, 2) adapting an authoring language, Coursewriter, for the system, and 3) upgrading simple cathode ray terminals to full multimedia capability by adding random access visuals and audio and graphics capability. About 2 dozen of these systems were produced and sold to universities and the military for instruction between the mid 1960s and 1980.
IBM learned several things from this venture. First, computers can be very effective and efficient instructors. Eventually IBM became one of the largest users of CBI in the world; however, it was not with the 1500 system. Second, the commercial market for systems totally dedicated to CBI was not yet mature. Third, they learned not to cross swords with a company called Control Data Corporation, which was at the time the third largest computer company in US. IBM lost a lawsuit to CDC and one of the terms of settlement was that IBM could not enter the commercial CBI arena for a specified period of time. One should note that IBM is a healthy company today while CDC is just now beginning to return from bankruptcy.
Educators also learned a great deal about the use of computers for instruction using these systems. Many instructors trained on these systems and went on to bigger and better things in CBI around the world. Vast amounts of experience of all sorts were obtained, and research results began to mount in a convincing way.
Two of the most advanced users of the 1500 systems were the University of Alberta in Canada, and Penn State University (PSU) in the US. Figures 1 and 2 depict exterior and interviews of one of the PSU Mobile CAI facilities which delivered instruction across North America. In this module, you will learn some of the history and meet some of the players in these two ventures.
Figure 1. Exterior view of one of the four PSU mobile vans used to transport the IBM 1500 System across North America to deliver instruction-The 'Concrete Network'
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Figure 2. Interior view of one of the four PSU mobile vans containing the CPU and operator console in the middle and 16 multimedia learning stations in the expansion bays.
Core Objective
(15 points)1. Compare two systems for the creation and delivery of computer based instruction: The IBM 1500 System and the World Wide Web Enrichment Objectives (5 points)
1. Identify the highlights of the history of the PSU or IBM 1500 System. 2. Identify the major barriers faced in the past at the University of Alberta in establishing and maintaining CAI programs. 3. Obtain the impressions about the U of A IBM 1500 System by interviewing one of the people who was centrally involved: Professor Craig Montgomerie, Eugene Romaniuk, Steve Hunka, Michael Szabo.
Access to the people, reports, and video resources identified in the activities below.
Answer these questions about the IBM 1500 System.
Which of these components was characteristic of the PSU or U of A IBM 1500 Systems? After answering, check here to compare answers.
random access audio graphical user interface for authors artificial intelligence color images screen graphics 20,000 hours of courseware courseware for elementary math teachers courseware for remedial education teachers courseware for medical training touch sensitive screen distance delivery using telecommunications courseware for police training
IMPORTANT!
On and off-campus (distance) students: submit assignments as e-mail attachments to the course instructor. Make it a practice to save a copy (or two) of your work.
For group activities, identify all the members of the group.See the course helpers for assignment submission details and check the U of A's on-line tutorials to help in learning computer technology tools.
Core Activity
Compare two systems for the creation and delivery of computer based instruction: The IBM 1500 System and the World Wide Web (15 points)
1. Identify various features and procedures used in the creation and delivery of CAI with the IBM 1500 system and on the World Wide Web. Present your comparison as side by side listing using the format shown below, with one example provided.
Feature 1500 WWW Authoring Lessons Programming in Coursewriter II Programming in HTML or a Web Course Management Tool such as Front Page, WebCT ----- ----- ---- ----- ----- ----- Complete this activity with a partner of your choice from the course. Examine(*) the video clips from "In Memoriam" to determine how CAI was created and in the 'good old days', before the GUI, WYSISYG, and Internet days.
(*)To view the videos in QuickTime format, you have two options. If you have a fast (e.g., cable) modem, install the QuickTime plug-in into your browser (if it is not already there) and select the video clips link.
Otherwise, download the eight individual movies, plus the QuickTime Player application for Mac or Windows, and play the movies through QuickTime.
Enrichment Activities (choose one)
1. Identify some of the highlights of the operation of the PSU 1500 CAI System (5 points)
1. A program history of the Computer Assisted Instruction Lab at Penn State University (PSU) has been written by Franklin Dimmick. (Dimmick, F. D. (1977, August). Computer assisted instruction at the Pennsylvania State University 1964-1977 A program history. University Park, PA: College of Education, unpublished manuscript). A selected subset of pages from this document is contained in your Course Reader. A complete copy (on reserve in Coutts Library under EDIT 568) is available for any 'CAI history buffs' to read.
Review the readings from this document. Then select the diagnostic quiz on the history of the PSU IBM 1500 System and master the module (score 80% or better on 5 out of 6 objectives). Print a copy of the study assignments page and submit to the course grader. NOTE: If you did not master at least 5 of these objectives, review the study assignment for the missed objectives, then retake the diagnostic quiz, and resubmit a copy of the study assignments.
2. Identify the major barriers faced in the past at the University of Alberta in establishing and maintaining CAI programs. (5 points)
2. From the "Where are they now?" category. A summary of various CAI projects at the University of Alberta has been published in a Canadian journal Hunka, S. M., & Buck, G. H. (1992). The rise and fall of CAI at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Education. Canadian Journal of Educational Communication, 21, 153-170. (.pdf format)
Submit your list to the course instructor via e-mail.
3. Obtain personal impressions about the U of A IBM 1500 System (5 points)
3. Although the U of A IBM 1500 System was decommissioned in 1982, there are still several people on campus who were centrally involved. Conduct an interview with one of these people and find out some of their 'stories' about their lived experiences during those days. Those involved are: Professors Craig Montgomerie, Eugene Romaniuk, Steve Hunka, or Michael Szabo. Romaniuk and Hunka are officially retired but can be made available to interview. Make your audio tape or typed transcription available to the grader as well as to the other members of the class.
- Check your answers to the Preassessment.
- What strikes you as some of the major differences between CBI in the era of the IBM 1500 Systems and the present?
Journals/Articles/Reports
Hunka, S. M., & Buck, G. H. (1992). The rise and fall of CAI at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Education. Canadian Journal of Educational Communication, 21, 153-170.
WWW
Tannenbaum, R. S. (1999). Education or training: Reflections on a life in computing. Educom Review, 34. Available On-Line: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/html/erm9911.html
From Abacus to IBM (a brief history of CAI). Available On-Line: http://www.uncwil.edu/Ed/INSTRUCT/comphist.htm
Other
Personal Correspondence
Journals/Articles/Reports
Buck, G. H., & Hunka, S. M. (1992). Development of the IBM 1500 Computer-Assisted Instruction System. IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, 17, 19-31.
The authors invite you to take a few minutes to evaluate this module.
Purpose | Objectives | Prerequisites
| Preassessment | Activities
Postassessment | Module Resources | Additional Resources | Module Evaluation
| Module #H3 | The IBM 1500 System: Historical
Perspectives |
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