The computer center in the small college

摘要

William N. McBain engaged in a bit of crystal gazing as he contemplated the future of higher education in an article entitled "Education Ex Machina"1 His hero, Jack, marched to college; exchanged a number of dollars for an equal number of tokens; selected the course he would study that day; and was assigned to an appropriate booth. There, after introducing himself to the computer, he proceeded from where last he had been in the course.

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The computer analyzed his performance and set the pace for his further study. Jack placed a token in the proper slot, and the computer proceeded to the next question. If he answered that question correctly his token was returned, and he deposited it again for the next question. When he did quite well on a series of questions, Jack received more tokens than he had deposited. Further, in addition to the "jack-pot" incentive, he periodically received a special token permitting him to have an hour's conference with the professor. The particularly able "Jack" could earn his way through college and also spend many hours in close discussion with his professor.