Browsing by Subject "PLATO (Electronic computer system)"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    An Investigation of Students' Perceptions of Plato Computer Based Courses
    (2011) Hille, Janice; Hyman, Randy
    The research investigated students’ perceptions of PLATO® online courses they took to recover high school credits. The school district in the study uses online courses provided by a for-profit vendor. The schools in this district are using the program for students who need to make up credits and the courses are designed to stand alone. The participants were students at two high schools, one a traditional high school and the other an alternative high school, in a northern Minnesota school district. The researcher solicited volunteers in PLATO® classrooms and explained the purpose and method of the project. Students who consented took a survey in their regular classroom during class time. The research showed that students were positive about the program. Most students were taking an online course for the first time but technical issues with the program were minimal. Students also gave favorable ratings to the program for expectations on tests, clear presentation of material, reasonable assignments and communication about their progress in the course. The survey had mixed results in two areas. In questions about how well the course motivated them the average was closer to the positive side of the scale but 40% of the students reported the program only rarely or never motivated them. PLATO® teachers primarily monitor students’ progress and allow students to take tests. Because students were confused about questions regarding communication with a teacher the issue of interaction in an online course warrants further research.
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    Oral history interview with Bruce Wilson
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2013-11-19) Wilson, Bruce
    In November 2013, CBI director Tom Misa conducted a series of oral history interviews with 13 former employees of Control Data Australia (1963-89) including the details of each person’s career, before and after working for Control Data. Topics that are common to many of the interviews include Trevor Robinson’s key role in organizing Control Data Australia; the early computer sales in Australia to the Bureau of Census and Statistics, Department of Defence, Postmaster General, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Bureau of Meteorology, and several prominent Australian universities. Control Data Australia did business data processing for such large concerns as Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), Telstra, and others. A distinctive emphasis was its work in developing computer systems for race-track betting for the state of Victoria’s Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) as well as for other Australian states and New Zealand. Other topics include relations with Control Data’s headquarters in Minneapolis, business data processing, data centers, database management, networking and Cybernet, and projects done in several Far East countries. Interviews were conducted with Richard Bament, John Baxter, Ron G. Bird, Tony Blackmore, Lyle Bowden, Marcel Dayan, Ian Downie, Julie James, George Karoly, John O’Neil, Garry Pearce, Rob Robertson, and Bruce Wilson.
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    Oral history interview with John Baxter
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2013-11-22) Baxter, John
    In November 2013, CBI director Tom Misa conducted a series of oral history interviews with 13 former employees of Control Data Australia (1963-89) including the details of each person’s career, before and after working for Control Data. Topics that are common to many of the interviews include Trevor Robinson’s key role in organizing Control Data Australia; the early computer sales in Australia to the Bureau of Census and Statistics, Department of Defence, Postmaster General, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Bureau of Meteorology, and several prominent Australian universities. Control Data Australia did business data processing for such large concerns as Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), Telstra, and others. A distinctive emphasis was its work in developing computer systems for race-track betting for the state of Victoria’s Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) as well as for other Australian states and New Zealand. Other topics include relations with Control Data’s headquarters in Minneapolis, business data processing, data centers, database management, networking and Cybernet, and projects done in several Far East countries. Interviews were conducted with Richard Bament, John Baxter, Ron G. Bird, Tony Blackmore, Lyle Bowden, Marcel Dayan, Ian Downie, Julie James, George Karoly, John O’Neil, Garry Pearce, Rob Robertson, and Bruce Wilson.
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    Oral history interview with John Day
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2010-10-22) Day, John
    John Day describes his computer science education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, including vignettes of student life in the late 1960s and early 1970s and campus protests over work on the ILLIAC IV computer. A second portion of the interview gives highlights of his work on network standards-setting, including Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
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    Oral history interview with Molly Lou Reko
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2015-11-30) Reko, Molly Lou
    Molly Lou Reko grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and graduated from Colorado College in 1958 with a degree in math, then taught mathematics at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. After taking time to raise children, she attended master’s classes at the University of Minnesota (her husband Al Reko then worked for Control Data in Minnesota) in the early 1970s and became connected to the local Minnesota educational computing network TIES, or Total Information for Educational Systems. Her husband encouraged her, with the background in mathematics and teaching, to apply to Control Data. She went to work on the PLATO multi-media computer project. She describes several PLATO programming languages, learning activities or modules, and educational products. She developed PLATO content for the Control Data Institutes, describing William Norris and his deep enthusiasm for PLATO, then managed a group of two dozen PLATO programmers. She also relates her experience with Control Data’s emphasis on corporate social responsibility, including early hiring of women and minorities, as well as work on CDC microcomputers. She completed a master’s degree in computer design and development at University of St. Thomas. In 1989 Control Data’s PLATO division was sold to The Roach Organization (TRO), then in 1991 she went to work for Northwest Airlines initially doing corporate education with microcomputers then working on worldwide installation of computing resources for Northwest’s Airport of Preference system. She offers assessments of Datamation advertisements from the late 1960s. This material is based on work funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation award B2014-07 “Tripling Women’s Participation in Computing (1965-1985).”
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    Oral history interview with Peter C. Patton
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2000-08-30) Patton, Peter C.
    In this oral history Peter Patton, Chief Technology Officer at Lawson Software in St. Paul, MN, and former Director of Academic Computing at the University of Minnesota, talks about his education at Harvard, his involvement in the development of PLATO courses in the humanities, and his perspectives on the software industry and patenting. Patton also shares his experience with IBM 650, CDC 6600, and Cray installations on several university campuses, his role in Project Safeguard, and his design of the Hennepin Justice Information System.
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    Oral history interview with Richard Bament
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 2013-11-21) Bament, Richard
    In November 2013, CBI director Tom Misa conducted a series of oral history interviews with 13 former employees of Control Data Australia (1963-89) including the details of each person’s career, before and after working for Control Data. Topics that are common to many of the interviews include Trevor Robinson’s key role in organizing Control Data Australia; the early computer sales in Australia to the Bureau of Census and Statistics, Department of Defence, Postmaster General, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Bureau of Meteorology, and several prominent Australian universities. Control Data Australia did business data processing for such large concerns as Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), Telstra, and others. A distinctive emphasis was its work in developing computer systems for race-track betting for the state of Victoria’s Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) as well as for other Australian states and New Zealand. Other topics include relations with Control Data’s headquarters in Minneapolis, business data processing, data centers, database management, networking and Cybernet, and projects done in several Far East countries. Interviews were conducted with Richard Bament, John Baxter, Ron G. Bird, Tony Blackmore, Lyle Bowden, Marcel Dayan, Ian Downie, Julie James, George Karoly, John O’Neil, Garry Pearce, Rob Robertson, and Bruce Wilson.
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    Oral history interview with Richard D. Conner
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1982-05-10) Conner, Richard D.
    Conner discusses the development of Control Data Corporation's social programs and his work in the creation and promotion of PLATO courseware.
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    Oral history interview with William C. Norris
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1977) Norris, William C., 1911-
    Norris describes the beginnings of Engineering Research Associates and Control Data Corporation (CDC). He also discusses PLATO, CDC's attempts to improve economically depressed areas, and CDC's employee assistance programs.