Network Working Group Peggy M. Karp
Request for Comments: 321 MITRE
NIC #9608 24 March 1972
Related RFCs: 313
Categories: F
CBI Networking Activity at MITRE
This RFC is in response to Tom O'Sullivan's probe for comments
on Computer Based Instruction. MITRE is currently doing some pre-
liminary work in the area,at the present time limited to use of CAI-
related network resources.
The most expedient way for me to respond is by attaching excerpts
taken from a recent status report prepared for internal MITRE use,
intended for staff not generally familiar with the ARPANET. Comments
directed at specific items in Tom's attachment will follow in a future
RFC.
We welcome comments on our activities and would like to partici-
pate in any CBI dialogs that take place.
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STATUS OF IR&D TASK 9780
ARPA NETWORK STUDIES AND EXPERIMENTS
MITRE/Washington became a node in the ARPA computer network in
September 1971 when a Terminal Interface Message Processor (TIP) was
installed. Since that time MITRE's use of the network has largely
been supported by IR&D funds. The objectives of the IR&D Network
Studies are:
(a) to promote the use of the network resources in an
operational mode within MITRE to increase the computer
capabilities available for supporting sponsor's work;
(b) to use the ARPANET itself as a research tool for
conducting computer networking experiments; and
(c) to demonstrate the use of ARPANET resources to extend
the capabilities of existing systems.
Specifically, the proposed objectives are:
(1) to select ARPANET resources that can be used to support
identified MITRE projects and to demonstrate how these
resources can be used;
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(2) to use the ARPANET as a research tool to conduct data
sharing experiments to study techniques for data handling
on a computer network; and
(3) to demonstrate the feasibility of using remote
resources on the ARPANET to augment the capabilities
of the TICCIT* system.
*The principle use of the TICCIT (Time-Shared Interactive Computer
Controlled Information Television) system has been for Computer
Assisted Instruction (CAI). A TICCIT/CAI system is currently being
developed by MITRE under a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.
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The IR&D Network Studies and Experiments project requires soft-
ware development on selected ARPANET Host computers and extensive
exercising of network resources. The approach taken to fulfill the
project objectives involves effort in three areas.
Task area I is designed to build up ARPANET usage by MITRE.
Task II involves conducting data sharing experiments on the network
utilizing software being built by MITRE at several network sites.
Task III is intended to demonstrate the use of CAI-related network
resources to augment the TICCIT/CAI system.
The specific activities involved in each task area are discussed
below.
---------------------------------------------------------------
That Are Possibly by Drawing on ARPANET Resources
-------------------------------------------------
The structure of the ARPANET is such that it is technically
possible to combine resources on the network to form a "distributed
system." A first step in this direction would be to use network
resources to augment a special-purpose system connected at one of the
nodes. The special-purpose system would serve as the vertex of the
distributed system, dynamically drawing on network resources to
perform specific functions.
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The TICCIT/CAI system is a good candidate for demonstrating the
feasibility of the concept of a distributed system. However, rather
than initially connecting TICCIT to the network, resources on the
network will first be used to demonstrate how they could augment the
capabilities of TICCIT
Task III is organized as three subtasks to demonstrate that the
range of curriculum material can be extended, to demonstrate that the
TICCIT/CAI system can be supplemented with specialized CAI systems
that use AI techniques, and to demonstrate that TICCIT system resources
and capabilities can be augmented by using computing and storage
resources available on the network.
(a) Demonstrate that the range of curriculum
material can be extended.
The range of curriculum material offered by the TICCIT/CAI system can
be extended by using network resources. Two areas that were selected
for the demonstration are mathematics and computer science.
The Culler-Fried On-Line Graphics-Oriented system available on
the IBM 360/75 at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)
was selected for use in mathematics courses. A collection of diverse
systems and languages will be selected to demonstrate how they can be
incorporated in a computer science curriculum.
The following tasks are necessary for demonstrating that the
range of curriculum material can be extended:
* learn the use and structure of the Culler Fried system.
* use the Culler-Fried system over the network using an
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IMLAC graphics display terminal.
* design sample courses for demonstration of the use of
the Culler-Fried system in a mathematics curriculum.
* develop software to incorporate the use of the Culler-
Fried system in the sample courses and demonstrate.
* prepare a sample computer science curriculum and demonstrate
how the wide range of systems on the network can be utilized
in a typical computer science curriculum.
* determine and document the technical specifications required
for a TICCIT/CAI system interface.
(b) Demonstrate that the TICCIT/CAI system can be supplemented
with specialized CAI systems that use AI techniques.
There are two network resources utilizing AI techniques that have been
applied to computer assisted instruction tasks: SCHOLAR and LOGO.
SCHOLAR is a mixed-initiative rather than a frame-oriented CAI system.
LOGO is a LISP-based programming language designed to study whether
notions and skills of formal reasoning and problem-solving can be
taught. We will investigate if these systems can be used to supple-
ment the TICCIT system and, if possible, will demonstrate their use.
The following tasks are required:
* investigate the use of SCHOLAR on the TENEX system
at BBN over the network.
* investigate the use of LOGO and the "turtle" over the
network from the PDP-10 at MIT/AI and/or from TENEX at BBN.
* demonstrate the use of the systems over the network.
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* determine and document the requirements for an interface
with the TICCIT system.
(c) Demonstrate that TICCIT system resources and capabilities
can be augmented by using computing and storage resources
available on the network.
It should be possible for the TICCIT/CAI system to substantially in-
crease its capacity by using large data storage devices on the ARPANET
for storing student records and curriculum and by using some Host
computer to run complex statistical analysis programs to analyze and
evaluate student progress and course content.
In order to demonstrate that such a scheme is possible, the
following tasks are necessary:
* determine format and requirements for curriculum
material and student records.
* develop a method to store and retrieve data on a
demand basis.
* select a Host on the network and develop software
for a demonstration.
* determine and document requirements for an interface
with the TICCIT system.
In this section the progress of the work associated with each
task is presented. Both achievements and problems encountered are
discussed. The manpower expended thus far for each subtask is given
in graphic form, together with a proposed schedule for completing
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the work.
---------------------------------------------------------------
That Are Possible by Drawing on ARPANET Resources
-------------------------------------------------
Many of the resources on the ARPANET were designed as stand
alone systems not intended for use over the network nor for facile
interfacing with other systems. Thus we have found that more work
than initially was estimated is needed to use the selected CAI-related
systems over the network. Therefore we plan to fulfill the goals of
each subtask by demonstrating the use of selected resources over the
network but will not attempt to interconnect the systems in any
fashion during FY1972. A proposal to investigate the notion of a
distributed CAI system using ARPANET resources is under preparation.
The status of our progress in using CAI-related resources over
the network is presented below.
(a) Demonstrate that the range of curriculum material
can be extended.
The Culler-Fried (C-F) On-Line Graphics-Oriented system at UCSB was
selected to demonstrate its use in mathematics curriculum. The system
has been used successfully in a variety of courses at UCSB, including
chemistry, mathematics, and economics(30,31,32,33,35).
The Culler-Fried system's normal mode of operation is with two
keyboards and a Tektronics graphics display device. The keys on the
second keyboard are "function" keys; for example, by pressing a single
key the user can initiate complex actions such as displaying a plot
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of a convolution function(35). The system can also be used to provide
online access to the 360/75 system to remotely control the execution
of programs. The latter service is currently available on the network
through TELNET. Access to the system was made possible by defining a
mapping from ASCII characters (sent as the "network virtual terminal")
to characters expected by the OLS. Thus it is often necessary to type
a sequence of characters on a TTY-type device to invoke the action of
a single function key. Under the current implementation, graphics
output to the network is suppressed.
We plan to demonstrate the use of the C-F system on an IMLAC
graphics device attached to our TIP. During the first phase of our
implementation, we will not simulate the C-F function keyboard but
will enter our graphics input using the procedures defined for use
via TELNET. For output, UCSB agreed to provide a new output processor
which will no longer suppress graphics output, but will map it into
the remote graphics capabilities as provided by IMLAC (Figure 3).
Such a system was implemented in early February but due to the
character-oriented nature of the IMLAC device available to us, the
resolution was unsatisfactory. We have now defined a low-level
graphics protocol. UCSB has agreed to send graphics output to us
using this protocol. We have had to program new processes for the
IMLAC and are now debugging the new programs. Due to the limited
core available on the particular IMLAC that we are using (4K 16 bit
words) which limits the size of internal display lists, we will not
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be able to plot very complex graphs. However, the software being
developed is general and can be moved to an IMLAC with larger core
capacity. We currently send alphanumeric input from a TTY or 3300
and divert the graphics output to the IMLAC.
When we can access the Culler-Fried system for graphics output
successfully via the network, we plan to modify the IMLAC programs to
permit alpha input from the IMLAC keyboard. We also plan to investi-
gate the possibility of attaching a function keyboard to the IMLAC.
Lastly, we intend to investigate the use of TICCIT display devices
with the TIP. A sample mathematics course will be designed to assist
in demonstration of the CAI applications of the Culler-Fried system.
We are currently studying the past uses of the system in a CAI mode.
We have not yet investigated computer science curriculums. We
plan to get inputs from the ACM Committee on Computer Science Educa-
tion(36,37) and to visit universities in the Washington area. This
activity is scheduled to commence in April.
(b) Demonstrate that the TICCIT/CAI system can be supplemented
with specialized CAI systems that use AI techniques.
The two network resources selected for demonstration are SCHOLAR and
able over the network on the TENEX system at BBN. A version of LOGO
with a "display turtle" is available on the PDP-10 at MIT/AI, however,
they do not yet have their NCP implemented and thus are not currently
accessible over the network. There is also a version of LOGO on the
TENEX system at SRI/AI. They also are not currently connected to the
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network and we have not investigated their version.
We used SCHOLAR over the network in January with a data base
provided by BBN to review the knowledge of a student in the geography
of South America(38,39).
The LOGO system at MIT/AI is perhaps the most impressive system
for use in a demonstration due to the availability of a "display
turtle". The system is currently being used remotely by the Bridge
School in Lexington, Massachusetts. We visited the school and observed
a class in session. We also attended an undergraduate class in Applied
Math at MIT that was learning turtle geometry.
Seymour Papert of MIT expects the MIT/AI PDP-10 to be up on the
network by the middle of April(40). He has agreed to modify his system
to interface with our IMLAC via the network using the low-level graphics
protocol that we specified. He has developed many courses and games
using LOGO(41,42,43,44,45) that provide sufficient material for use
in demonstrating the system. A real turtle may be available in early
summer to run from our TIP.
We have used the LOGO system at BBN via the network. Since the
system is continually being modified, Dr. Feurzeig agreed to put a
clean version on the RAND TENEX for our use. BBN's LOGO does not
currently have a display turtle, however, they are willing to imple-
ment one. Even without the display turtle, courseware that has been
developed for teaching mathematics provides sufficient material for
us to work from(46,47). A radio controlled turtle has been designed
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at BBN. It may be possible to obtain the specifications and have one
built at MITRE to run from our TIP.
(c) Demonstrate that TICCIT system resources and capabilities
can be augmented by using computing and storage resources
available on the network.
Work has not begun on this subtask. However, much of the software
developed for the data sharing experiments can be used to store and
retrieve data on a demand basis.
We have received preliminary curriculum material from TICCIT
personnel. We expect to interact with them to determine more speci-
fically the format and requirements for curriculum material and student
records.
[ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
[ into the online RFC archives by BBN Corp. under the ]
[ direction of Alex McKenzie. 12/96 ]
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REFERENCES
Report on Facilities and Applications at UCSB", paper presented
at a conference on Computers in Undergraduate Curricula,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1970.
PERFORMANCE
Final Report, Section 3: Feurzeig, W., and Lukas, G., "Program-
ming Languages as a Tool for Cognitive Research", BBN Report
No. 2187, 30 June 1971.
MATHEMATICS, BBN Report No. 2165, 30 June 1971.
Volume 1, Part 1: Feurzeig, W., Lukas, G., "An Introductory
LOGO Teaching Sequence".
Part 2: Lukas, J. D., and Lukas, G., "LOGO
Teaching Sequence on Logic".
Part 3: Feurzeig, W., Lukas, G., and Grant, R.,
"LOGO Reference Manual".
Volume 2, Part 1: Grant, P., Falflick, P., and Feurzeig, W.,
"LOGO Teaching Sequences on Numbers".
Part 2: Feurzeig, W., Lukas, G., and Grant, R.,
"LOGO Functions and Equations".
Volume 3, Part 1: Lukas, G., Falflick, P., and Feurzeig, W.,
"LOGO Strategy in Problem-Solving".
Part 2: Lukas, G., and Feurzeig, W., "LOGO
Story Problems in Algebra".
Volume 4: Weiner, W. B., Morgan, C. R., and Feurzeig, W.,
"The LOGO Processor, A Guide for System Programmers".
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