Informal student reports provide useful information as do the messages posted on the Forum and questions asked in the lab. All students are monitored on each problem, in this it is possible to both identify individual students who may be at risk or to identify a problem that most students seem to be having difficulty with. In both cases intervention can then be targetted appropriately. Student learning benefits are indicated by a rise in the exam mark. The low end of the bell curve is coming up so that the average mark and the pass rate are up.
Tutors now have more quality time to spend on students.
Most learning seems to take place in peer learning environment. Students can be observed making connections between each others ideas, scribbling, talking. If you remove them from this environment which provides structure through the time frame of deadlines and the space of the lab, student learning is like trying 'to peel an apple in your back pocket'. All parties need to have some understanding of both computing and the discipline. Hypercard is easy to learn.