The level of expertise necessary to create a computer based drill and practice software module is a bit higher than needed for a simple presentation. The multimedia capabilities of modern computers offer even more, as will be discussed in the section that follows. Testing And Evaluation Using higher level authoring systems, software can be developed that can record almost any action the user takes at the computer. We can, therefore, create many types of testing modules, including multiple choice quizzes, tests of proper manipulation of simulated materials, assessment of time spent on a task, recording the lessons covered, and many others. These results can be saved in a format that can be reviewed by the instructor, or used to give the student instantaneous feedback.
Multimedia offers even more.
The evaluation no longer need be strictly textual in nature. Using a combination of the computer's ability to record actions and the computer's ability to allow the user to directly manipulate graphic representations of actual objects, the instructional software can evaluate a learners ability more directly using simulation. In some cases, presentation of information could be augmented by allowing the learner more interactivity with the material in the form of computer based simulation. Many simulations have been created, ranging from flying an aircraft to performing a chemistry experiment, to manipulating an atomic structure at the sub-microscopic level. Allowing the learner to explore the concept to be learned directly by manipulating a computer based object can greatly enhance the learner's depth of knowledge and mastery of the concept.