| Abstract: | In the past, systems of instruction and retrieval have delivered different information, have served different functions, and have varied in content coverage, control, interaction, and amount of monitoring and guidance provided. However, technological trends that increase the amount and kind of information available on-line and that increase the speed and ease with which it can be searched are eroding these differences. It is now possible to put more primary information online in more varied forms and to make it more easily accessible to those who lack knowledge of computers or retrieval systems. Consequently, retrieval systems are becoming an alternative to instruction as a way to learn. In certain circumstances, letting people learn from information retrieval systems might be preferable to more formal approaches to instruction. Cognitive psychology provides clues about when to use retrieval systems to teach and train. Using retrieval systems or instructional systems is not an all-or-nothing decision. New instructional designs like hypermedia and “parallel systems” are appearing that integrate formal instruction and information retrieval. |
